Alcoa fires workers over alleged slowdown

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.ibj.com/html/detail_page_Full.asp?content=17889

Tue. July 29 - 2008
IBJ Staff

Ten workers have been fired at Alcoa Inc.'s aluminum smelting and fabrication operation near Evansville and another 20 have been disciplined after the company said they purposely slowed production.

Managers claimed the workers were putting in only modest effort, and that data from machinery in the plant showed production slowed from the same time last year, according to the Evansville Courier & Press.

The production problems appear to have ended after the disciplinary actions, the company said.

The United Steelworkers union blamed the slowdown on the company's failure to maintain equipment, and said it would conduct its own investigation.

[flashl]

1. Are the Managers Scapegoating workers?

Siemens seeks damages from 11 ex-execs

Economy Post

BERLIN --Siemens AG said Tuesday it plans to sue two former CEOs and nine other ex-executives for alleged supervisory failings in a corruption scandal that has cost the company millions in fines and damaged its reputation.

Siemens' supervisory board decided to seek damages from former chief executive Heinrich von Pierer and his successor, Klaus Kleinfeld, now the chief executive of U.S.-based Alcoa Inc., and others, the industrial conglomerate said in a statement.

It did not specify how much money it would demand.

Siemens said it based its claim for damages on "breaches of their organizational and supervisory duties" relating to illegal business practices and payments between 2003 and 2006, practices now placing a substantial financial burden on the company.