Protest against possible closure of BlueScope Steel draws hundreds in Wollongong, NSW
More than 1,000 people have joined a rally in Wollongong to protest against the potential closure of BlueScope Steel's major plant in Port Kembla, in the New South Wales Illawarra region.
The closure has prompted the Australian Workers Union (AWU) to call on the Federal Government to introduce protectionist measures to ensure the region's economic future.
BlueScope Steel has flagged its intention to shed 500 jobs, equating to $200 million in savings, but up to 5,000 could be lost if the mill closes.
The company has been struggling, largely due to the regional oversupply and a flood of cheap exports pouring out of China, which produces about half of the world's steel.
AWU South Coast branch secretary Wayne Phillips said the steel industry was a lifeline for people in the Illawarra region.
"We don't have any other industries to come on online; [the] steelworks generates a lot of industries and opportunities in Wollongong and Shoal Harbour, Port Kembla and Warrawong," Mr Phillips said.
"People are extremely angry. People have had enough... this uncertainty of whether the steelworks is going to be here or not is starting to affect people."
The AWU said the union was not in negotiations with BlueScope, but were lobbying the Federal Government for protectionist measures, including the introduction of import tariffs on steel or temporary tax breaks for the company.
"We've been reviewing some work practice changes that affect the whole plant," Mr Phillips said, adding that this included sick leave, how work was performed and a number of positions that could be made redundant.
"It's now up to politicians and the board of BlueScope."
Closure would cause statewide 'economic decline'
NSW Greens MP John Kaye said the loss of the plant would plunge the Illawarra into a long-term economic decline and impact on unemployment across the state.
"It's critical that governments' infrastructure projects focus on purchasing steel that's made in Australia," Mr Kaye said.
"Our steel [mills] have no protection whatsoever. The concern is that in the unequal playing field that's created by subsidised steel being dumped in Australia - workers in the Illawarra face a very grim future."
Mr Kaye said the mill had been badly managed by the private sector, and the NSW Government should intervene to secure its future.
A spokesman for BlueScope Steel said the company did not support industry wide tariffs.
He said other countries would swiftly retaliate against such measures leading to the possible closure of the Port Kembla plant.
The spokesman said targeted measures against individual acts of the "dumping" of steel onto the Australian market were the appropriate way to deal with the problem.
He said the company has had three rulings in its favour over steel dumping but was frustrated at how long the process took.
No comments:
Post a Comment