BHP plans to sack 800 workers

BHP plans to sack 800 workers

BY ANDY GIANNIOTIS

WOLLONGONG — Australia's fifth largest multinational company, BHP, has announced plans to contract out up to 800 maintenance jobs at its Port Kembla steelworks. The decision has been condemned by unionists, who say the company has ignored 20 years of hard work by employees to make it one of only a handful of profitable integrated steel plants in the world.

Graham Roberts, the national president of the Australian Workers Union, told Green Left Weekly, "Maintenance workers have played a key role in the success of Port Kembla, now the company wants to show their gratitude by dumping them".

BHP Flat Products' chief Lance Hockeridge said that increasing international competition made it necessary for the Port Kembla plant to reduce costs and concentrate on core business. This means that any work deemed "non-core" may be contracted out in the future, which will affect more than just maintenance workers.

"I am sick and tired of the blackmail and the constant claims that the future viability of the steelworks was under threat unless workers accepted losing their jobs", Roberts said in reply.

A delegates meeting on July 20 endorsed a campaign against contracting out, which will highlight the effects the plans will have on jobs and the regional economy, the growing lack of commitment at the highest levels of BHP to a long-term future of steel making in Australia and the continued efforts of steel unions and their members for two decades to ensure an internationally competitive steel operation.

The delegates will now seek rank and file endorsement for an all-workers' stop-work meeting on August 3.

From GLW issue 413