Aluminium producer Alcoa says its Australian operations will not be affected by the company's global plans to cut more than 13,000 jobs.

The US company has announced plans to cut 13 per cent of its global work force, sell four business units and cut output to cope with the economic downturn.

It is also cutting 1,700 contractor positions and freezing salaries in order to reduce the number of employees by the end of 2009.

Alcoa of Australia has already suspended expansion work on Western Australia's Wagerup refinery, reduced the number of its contractors, frozen salaries and restricted travel.

Managing director Alan Cransberg says the company has no plans at this stage to reduce its current Australian work force.

---ABC Online