The AMWU has appointed an officer to assist former Tonsley Park Mitsubishi workers find news jobs and identify further education and training opportunities.
Mitsubishi closed its Adelaide plant at Tonsley Park in March this year, resulting in more than 1,200 job losses, giving workers little warning of the closure.
Former employee Ray Sara has been appointed as the full time Labor Adjustment Package (LAP) officer to oversee the provision of services and assistance to retrenched plant workers.
The LAP officer was created to help the sacked workers find full time employment or undertake education and training. The position will give workers a central source of information on the assistance available from government departments, training providers and Mitsubishi.
“The workers have faced an uncertain future since the closure was announced in February and the idea of moving on and into something new can be quite daunting,” AMWU SA Secretary, John Camillo said.
“It’s important that these workers get the support they require, so they know what all of their options are. We want to find out if there are barriers stopping some people from getting new jobs and we help make the transition into new employment, training or education as easy as possible.”
The LAP officer assistance includes (but is not limited to) assistance in:
• Employment related training and licensing
• Job search skills and techniques
• Career counselling
• Resumes
• Relocation assistance
• Self employment assistance
• Sourcing wage subsidies to assist employers who are prepared to offer a job
• The purchase of items such as work boots, tools and equipment, or clothing where related to employment and
• Books and equipment for training.
The union will measure the success of the program by liaising with all stakeholders on employment outcomes and the training provided. This will include information such as the type of industries, occupations and employment (full time, part time, casual, labour hire) undertaken by the retrenched workers.