Steel Union wants 21st Century Steel Plan to save key Australian regions

05 April 2009

The Australian Workers Union will begin a national consultation with Steelworkers on Monday ahead of the launch of a new 21st Century Steel Plan to save the industry during its worse ever crisis.

AWU National Secretary Paul Howes will meet with steelworkers at the BlueScope Westernport Steelworks early on Monday morning to listen to their concerns about job security.

Compulsory shutdowns of steel plant

"This region will be devastated if the local Bluescope Steel plant is forced to shut. For the first time since the plant started it had a Christmas shutdown last December, and another shutdown is now scheduled for Easter," Paul Howes, AWU National Secretary said.

More than 1000 people are directly employed at this major employer in Outer Melbourne - and many more thousands of jobs in the local economy are dependant on the site.

Plant operating at 50% capacity

"Already the plant is down to 50 per cent capacity. We know that could drop as a direct result of big car plants in Melbourne and Adelaide making decisions to slow down their production. And a dramatic slowdown in the building and construction industry has had an effect on demand for Westernport's steel products.

"We also need to recognise the strategic importance of the steel industry to Australia's economic and social development," Paul Howes said.

The AWU leader has begun a national tour of all Australian steel plants to consult with Steel Union members about the future of this important industry.

Strategem to keep alive a key industry through global crisis

"Australia needs to urgently adopt a 21st century Steel Plan. We need a stratagem to save a key industry in the face of the global economic crisis," Paul Howes said.

"Our union is working with members, think tanks and our national economic research unit to present the Federal Government with an AWU Steel Plan in the next few weeks.

Launch the AWU New Steel Plan within weeks

" The union has worked closely with the Steel Caucus of Federal MPs, who represent steel industry electorates across Australia." Paul Howes said.

The AWU New Steel Plan will be launched within the coming weeks following consultations in the major steel centres across the nation.