Unidrive sacks 40 workers in latest job losses

[MitchG]

IN the latest job losses for Victoria's struggling car industry, car axle component supplier Unidrive will sack 40 workers.

The announcement follows the downturn experienced by major car manufacturers.

Ford last week announced 350 redundancies and a reduction in plant operating hours and earlier this year Mitsubishi closed it's Adelaide plant.

Australian Manufacturing Workers Union (AMWU) secretary Steve Dargavel said the ramifications of those decisions were being felt by suppliers.

He said the job losses at Unidrive's Melbourne factory were a clear result of Ford downsizing.

“Unidrive supplies axles to car manufacturers such as Ford and with the reduction in demand they are forced to let go of 40 workers from September,'' Mr Dargavel said today. “Unidrive used to employ over 500 workers, now it is 150, and after September it will reduce to 110.

“Unidrive's decision underscores the need for trade measures and industry policy that covers the entire automotive industry, inclusive of component suppliers.

“As major car companies reduce production, the demand for parts decreases and the components and subsidiary suppliers are at threat.''

Mr Dargavel repeated the union's call for the federal and state governments to hold an urgent roundtable on the future of the automotive industry.

He said a plan was needed to minimise redundancies.

“There is a substantial growth demonstrated in automotive production around the world and significant opportunities exist for Victorian manufacturing with the right mix of trade and industry policy,'' he said.

“There is no reason why we should accept these repeated redundancy announcements as inevitable.''

[MitchG]

SOURCE: http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/sto...44-661,00.html