Jobs of 900 on the line

By Geelong Story Updates
Hundreds more manufacturing jobs are on the line in Geelong, according to the city’s trades and labour council.
Secretary Tim Gooden said he feared half a dozen companies were on shaky ground.
Failure of the companies would cost 900 direct jobs, he said.
Mr Gooden raised concerns for the companies with state Regional Development Minister John Brumby during a meeting in Geelong this week to discuss a new $24 million investment and innovation fund for the city.
State and federal governments announced the fund last week after Ford revealed it would close its Geelong engine plant, costing 600 jobs.
Mr Gooden said discussions with Geelong manufacturing workers had revealed the new jobs threat.
The workers from various companies had told him their bosses were warning of “reviews” and potential closures.
Mr Gooden said one of the companies in doubt employed 400 in Geelong.
He refused to name all the companies before determining whether the bosses’ claims to staff were accurate.
“You’ve got to work out what’s bluff and what’s fair dinkum but if it’s all true there’ll be a lot of layoffs in the next financial year,” Mr Gooden said.
“It would have a big impact on Geelong.”
Mr Gooden said one of the employers at risk, the Geelong division of Bekaert Australia, was likely to be the first to fall.
The company employs about 100 staff at North Shore to produce wire products for the tyre industry.
Mr Gooden said Bekaert was running a “worldclass” operation with significant investment in Geelong but tyre companies had told management they would go elsewhere for supplies.
“The decision will probably be made in a boardroom in Belgium next month to close the joint.”
Mr Gooden said the pressure was now on state and federal governments to spend the investment fund wisely in Geelong.
“Our industries are facing trouble and we want governments to proactively address the situation without turning it into election crap,” he said.
A spokesman confirmed Mr Brumby was aware of the new jobs concerns.
“Yes, there might be job losses in the future but Geelong has a resilient and diverse economy and will survive,” the spokesman said.
He expected a “number of potential investments” to deliver new jobs for Geelong.
“The minister has indicated he believes there will more jobs announced over the next 12 to 18 months than were lost at Ford.”