Qld: Manufacturing workers rally and march in Brisbane

AAP General News (Australia)
04-06-2000
Qld: Manufacturing workers rally and march in Brisbane

More than 100 union members have walked off the job for three hours to protest against
the use of imported equipment on major Queensland projects.

The workers, from the Alstom Australia plant at Rocklea, in Brisbane's south-west,
are angry they've been overlooked in a $1 billion expansion of the state government-owned
Tarong power station.

Alstom management advised the Australian Manufacturing Workers Union (AMWU) that it
hadn't been asked to submit a bid for the contract.

It's been awarded to Japanese industrial giant, Toshiba.

The blow comes despite the Beattie government now having a Local Content Policy, which
encourages big firms to use locally-based workers for major projects.

Union members are to rally outside the Toshiba and Tarong Energy offices and the Queensland
Mines and Energy building before gathering outside the state government's Executive building
in George street.

Today's action follows a recent march on the Queensland Parliament attended by up to
2,000 steel workers to demand a fair go for manufacturing employees.

The march was prompted by the decision by engineering firm Evans Deakin Industries'
(EDI) to close two steel plants and put 260 employees out of work.

EDI blamed the closure on fierce competition in the international market and the state
government's lack of a local purchasing policy.

AAP RTV dn/jhm/dmc

KEYWORD: MANUFACTURING (BRISBANE)

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