Mr Paul O'Malley CEO of BlueScope has warned that workforce flexibility at the Port Kembla steelworks has saved jobs in the Illawarra, but there is more hardship to come.

Mr O'Malley said that Port Kembla workers had shouldered cuts to shifts and overtime, suffered job losses and some had been asked to take leave without pay so that the company could survive the global downturn. But the financial pain had been felt from the top down and included all senior executives.

Mr O'Malley, whose decisions have a direct impact on 12,000 Illawarra families, warned there were more tough times ahead. He said that "In the end it's a business and we have to survive, and it's been pretty challenging. It's probably not all over yet. I still think there's probably some hard times to come."

(Sourced from www.illawarramercury.com.au)