Work stoppage looms in Jamaica's bauxite sector

KINGSTON, June 6 (Reuters) - A work stoppage could affect Jamaica's bauxite sector as early as this weekend after a breakdown in talks aimed at averting a walkout at a key production facility.

Representatives of more than 300 workers represented by the Caribbean nation's largest trade union, the National Workers Union, said they were waiting on Friday for a final go-ahead to stage the strike against the Windalco Bauxite Company at its Kirkvine plant in the south central region.

The Windalco Kirkvine plant and its sister company at Ewarton, in the central region, jointly mine about 30 percent of Jamaica's bauxite.

The union served the company an ultimatum on Wednesday, threatening industrial action if the workers' demands for productivity incentives are not met by Saturday, union sources said.

They said a meeting held at the Ministry of Labor on Thursday failed to resolve the dispute, which affects contract workers who contend they are owed outstanding productivity incentives since last year.

Windalco is jointly owned by the Jamaica government and UC Rusal Alumina Jamaica Ltd, which manages the company. (Reporting by Horace Helps; Editing by Tom Brown)