It is reported that farewells will be the order of the day as scores of workers walk out of the Port Kembla steelworks for the last time. For many long timers, it will be the end of three or four decades at the steelworks, with their careers brought to a close by BlueScope Steel’s restructure.
BlueScope is halving steel production to 2.6 million tonnes per year as it gets out of the loss making export market, while restructuring the company. The moves leave almost 900 people without a job at Port Kembla, and many have chosen to take redundancy packages.
Some workers have already left but as this week ends, with the No 6 blast furnace and No 4 coke battery having been shut down, the departures will reach a peak.
Australian Workers' Union branch secretary Mr Andy Gillespie said that there would be mixed feelings.
He added that "Each department's doing their own farewells. There are some farewell parties happening off site all over the place. Some of the people have given their whole life working in the steel industry. There'll be some people who are happy to go, there'll be some who are looking at the past and wondering where it all went. I think it's the end of an era in terms of a lot of the older people."
About a third of those leaving are believed to be around retirement age. The redundancy package is 2 weeks' pay for each year served, plus a lump sum of 14 weeks' pay and for some, another payment of between USD 7500 and USD 12,500.
A detailed breakdown of how many jobs would go in each department was agreed on in the Industrial Relations Commission four weeks ago but those numbers are being revised. About 300 workers will go from steelmaking operations, plus an estimated 300 contractors and about 430 staff in non steelmaking jobs.
Mr Gillespie said that some plant workers had been asked to stay on for another month or two, some until February 2012, but most would leave in the coming days. He added that "All through Friday, Saturday, Sunday, people will be exiting."
The No 6 blast furnace has been emptied, cooled and shut down, with about 60 jobs being lost there. Some furnace operators have been moved to the active No 5 blast furnace. The No 4 coke battery has been closed, with the loss of about 30 jobs across the coke making operations. The Environment Protection Authority is investigating at least one explosion during its shutdown.
The No 3 basic oxygen steelmaking vessel will stop operating soon, perhaps within days. The No 1 slab casting facility, also marked for closure, is still in action, using up perishable materials.
(Sourced from www.illawarramercury.com.au)
