adrenaline
03-05-2007, 03:49 AM
Holden to sack 650 from Adelaide plant
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,20867,21326969-601,00.html?from=news
AS many as 650 workers at Holden's Elizabeth car manufacturing plant in South Australia will lose their jobs as the company adjusts to improved high technology automated operations by shedding labour.
The Australian understands workers will be given voluntary redundancies, with the federal and South Australian governments expected to offer retraining and other assistance to those left unemployed.
The job cuts represents 13 per cent of the 4500 workforce at the Elizabeth plant, which has been promoted by Holden as one of the most flexible and efficient operations in the world.
Holden's Elizabeth plant is the principal manufacturer of the Commondore, but produces a range of passenger and commercial vehicles for domestic and export markets.
Big job cuts come at a sensitive time for the company as it is about to start production of a new range of Commodore utes and station wagons.
They also come at a politically sensitive time for the Howard Government, with two marginal Liberal seats in the area that could be under threat in an election year.
The Elizabeth plant is located in Wakefield, held by David Fawcett with a 0.7 per cent seat margin, while most workers live in nearby Makin, held by Trish Draper with a 1 per cent swing needed to fall to Labor.
Senior sources indicated yesterday that the Holden workers were largely victims of their own success as the Elizabeth plant moved to a more efficient hi-tech assembly line.
Another factor affecting car manufacturers worldwide is the move by consumers to smaller cars in response to higher petrol prices.
Holden has prided itself on investment in plant and technology to achieve "rigorous cost, quality and volume objectives."
It insists the multi-skilled workforce at Elizabeth is committed to continuous improvement of quality standards by developing more efficient means of production and process control.
Holden confirmed its decision to "reduce the workforce size of South Australian operations" with an official announcement at 3:30 pm (SA time).
It is understood that the South Australian Government was not given advance notice of the job losses.
So I understand that it is due to technology replacing people. You would think they'd need all the labour they can get seeing as they will be operating at much higher capacity once the production of the G8 starts.
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,20867,21326969-601,00.html?from=news
AS many as 650 workers at Holden's Elizabeth car manufacturing plant in South Australia will lose their jobs as the company adjusts to improved high technology automated operations by shedding labour.
The Australian understands workers will be given voluntary redundancies, with the federal and South Australian governments expected to offer retraining and other assistance to those left unemployed.
The job cuts represents 13 per cent of the 4500 workforce at the Elizabeth plant, which has been promoted by Holden as one of the most flexible and efficient operations in the world.
Holden's Elizabeth plant is the principal manufacturer of the Commondore, but produces a range of passenger and commercial vehicles for domestic and export markets.
Big job cuts come at a sensitive time for the company as it is about to start production of a new range of Commodore utes and station wagons.
They also come at a politically sensitive time for the Howard Government, with two marginal Liberal seats in the area that could be under threat in an election year.
The Elizabeth plant is located in Wakefield, held by David Fawcett with a 0.7 per cent seat margin, while most workers live in nearby Makin, held by Trish Draper with a 1 per cent swing needed to fall to Labor.
Senior sources indicated yesterday that the Holden workers were largely victims of their own success as the Elizabeth plant moved to a more efficient hi-tech assembly line.
Another factor affecting car manufacturers worldwide is the move by consumers to smaller cars in response to higher petrol prices.
Holden has prided itself on investment in plant and technology to achieve "rigorous cost, quality and volume objectives."
It insists the multi-skilled workforce at Elizabeth is committed to continuous improvement of quality standards by developing more efficient means of production and process control.
Holden confirmed its decision to "reduce the workforce size of South Australian operations" with an official announcement at 3:30 pm (SA time).
It is understood that the South Australian Government was not given advance notice of the job losses.
So I understand that it is due to technology replacing people. You would think they'd need all the labour they can get seeing as they will be operating at much higher capacity once the production of the G8 starts.