The Electrical Trades Union welcomes the South Australian and Federal Government’s $2.4 billion support plan for the Whyalla steelworks.
The SA State Government and Federal Government has now provided a long overdue certainty to workers and a town that have dealt with disruption and doubt for far too long. This historic investment into this critical manufacturing facility will secure Whyalla’s future after years of reckless mismanagement. A future now and a Future Made in Australia.
The workers of Whyalla deserve a future, they deserve dignity, and they deserve prosperity.
Workers should never have been stressing about shutdowns and closures as GFG dodged suppliers, sent profits offshore, ran the plant down to being almost un-operational, expecting workers to carry the weight, and never delivered on promises they gave to the town to make things right. This investment allows Whyalla to get back to the business of making the steel this country depends on. And this investment could secure a real future for Whyalla to be the centre of green manufacturing.
GFG’s neglect may have made it hard for some to see, but the plant has all the key ingredients to spearhead the shift to clean green steelmaking: access to magnetite ore, gas, hydrogen and renewables, plus decades of union members’ experience and industry expertise.
“After what has been a year of uncertainty, with everyone digging in and working hard to keep vital plant running, it finally feels like there’s a light at the end of the tunnel the Whyalla Steelworks and Mines Workers really deserve. There’s still a long way to go but there is a buzz of positivity around the town again. There is also now an increased certainty for our local contractors that they will be paid on time for the hard work they put in providing valuable services for the steelworks and mines.” – Mitchell Hass, CEPU Delegate, Whyalla
It is good that the Premier and PM have acted decisively to support Whyalla. The public interest may demand government retains a stake in the steelworks moving forward.
The steelworks is crucial when we talk of vital sovereign capabilities.
The ETU will work closely with Whyalla management and the South Australian and Federal governments to ensure that operations continue smoothly at the steelworks in the coming weeks and months.
The Whyalla Steelworks employs 1000 people directly, and the town of 22,000 people relies on it as a major driver of the economy. Workers in Whyalla have been struggling with increasing risks to job security, the risks to the financial security of their town, and the risks to having a safe and secure future for industry in Whyalla while the future of the Steelworks has been uncertain.
“CEPU members in Whyalla have been fighting to save their jobs and their livelihoods for the longest time. They’ve been keeping the steelworks running with the bare minimum of resources and investment from GFG. They need a secure future. This investment from the state and Fed governments is a start for workers in Whyalla to have a real chance to build the working future they deserve.” – Dan Ramm, CEPU organiser for Whyalla
The ongoing issue with the Steelworks and the mine’s financial viability has been causing a lack of expenditure on critical maintenance and repairs and an increasing list of creditors withdrawing services and products due to non-payment. That situation has made it harder and harder for employees to do their jobs and keep the steelworks running.
“The workers of Whyalla deserve a safe and secure future for themselves, their community and their town. These workers have been doing it really tough and the recent action taken by the State Government along with the announced support of the Federal Government is a step in the right direction for securing their future.
“We look forward to working with the State Government and industry make the Whyalla Steelworks the green industry centre we know it can be and to ensure that through this process of administration there is a real role for workers and the local community to take some control of the future of Whyalla.” – John Adley, CEPU SA Branch Secretary
The ETU and CEPU SA are eager to understand more about the significant funding package that the government has committed to, that is intended to support the ongoing operation of the Steelworks.