AMWU assistant national secretary Glenn Thompson said the union had hoped the Government would bring forward shipbuilding work and predicted that more than 80 Henderson jobs could be lost when work dries up in 2015.
‘(Shipbuilders) are still facing a ‘valley of death’ as work is due to dry up and there are no guarantees of new builds coming for over 18 months, if then,’ he said.’
Mr Thompson said a review this coming financial year of future Australian submarines provided some hope.
‘We are still hoping that the Government will decide that these new submarines should be designed and built in Australia,’ he said.
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READ NOW‘By bringing forward this work, the Government can ensure that skills and jobs remain in Australia.’
Supporting the AMWU’s shipbuilding campaign, Cockburn MLA Fran Logan raised the matter in Parliament on Thursday.
Mr Logan called on the State Government to lobby Defence Minister, Senator David Johnston, to bring shipbuilding projects forward.