General Motors Holden - Australia
Following the announcement in early June that GMH's Family II engine facility in Port Melbourne will be shut down (see link to story below) with the loss of 531 jobs, talks begin this week on the details of a redundancy package for the workforce. The unions will be looking at standards established in other closure packages negotiated with the closures of Ford's Geelong engine plant and Mitsubishi's Adelaide (South Australia) operations.
These talks coincide with preparations for the negotiation of a new union collective agreement.
http://business.theage.com.au/531-jobs-to-go-at-holden-20080606-2mjs.html
The broader background to the GMH negotiations includes the new Labor government's review of the Australian auto industry. The Review, chaired by former Labor Premier of the state of Victoria, Steve Bracks, is required to report to the government by July 31st. The Australian Manufacturing Workers Union has made a submission to the Review that sets out how Australia's auto industry can be rescued and renewed. Meanwhile, 2 more auto components companies - Goodyear / South Pacific Tyres and Delphi - will be closin their factories with the loss of hundreds of jobs.
The AMWU Submission on the Future of the Auto Industry can be read at http://www.amwu.org.au/content/upload/files/submissions/auto-review-sub-0508.pdf
