Bid for glass jobs

Andrew Mathieson
UNIONS are backing a plan to buy out a North Geelong glass plant to keep the skills of more than 70 workers in Geelong.
Furniture and Finishing Trades Union secretary Leo Skourdoumbis said a Melton-based manufacturing company had expressed interest in buying the former Pilkington site.
New owner Viridian announced in January that it would close the factory in June but has since delayed final production to October.
Mr Skourdoumbis said MHG, who he described as a leader in automotive parts and accessories, had been in talks with union and government officials over the past two weeks to rescue the Geelong glass workers.
“We’re trying to get MHG to change their minds and to buy the glass facility, so the fat lady hasn’t quite sung yet despite what (Viridian) is saying,” he said.
“The union is working as hard as it can to make sure our members continue to be employed.
“We’re committed to this and don’t believe it should fall over at the last minute.”
The furniture and finishing union won a temporary reprieve to keep the Viridian plant open earlier this year.
Mr Skourdoumbis said MHG had told him that buying the factory was a “50/50 chance”.
“It’s looking more positive than it was last week,” he said.
Mr Skourdoumbis urged Federal Government to support “a most-important industry to Australia”.
Unions were asking the Government to intervene with a subsidy for the glass manufacturing industry to protect it from cheap imports.
Mr Skourdoumbis said the skills of the Geelong workers were “second to none”.
“That shouldn’t be overlooked,” he said.
“Once this industry leaves our shores, there’s no further glass manufacturer for industrial vehicles in this country.
“Once it’s gone, it’s gone forever.”
The plant’s long history in Geelong dates back more than a century under the Pilkington name, which became famous for supplying automotive glass.
Ford’s plans to scale back its Geelong operations had dramatically affected Viridian, whose parent company, CSR, has retrenched hundreds of workers.