Boeing shuts in NSW 400 + jobs go

Date: 04 March 2010

Boeing's announcement that it will close its Milperra aerospace engineering site, costing up to 400 jobs, is a terrible blow to the workers and their families.

AMWU Acting State Secretary, Tim Ayres said the decision would be felt not just by the Boeing workers but across the NSW economy.

"NSW simply cannot afford the loss of these skilled jobs at Boeing together with the thousands of downstream jobs that will be affected."

The company manufactures aerospace components for the Boeing fleet, including the Boeing 737, Airbus, C130 Elevator, A330, A340 and A380 and the 777 Runner.

"The loss of Boeing to NSW is not just the closure of one site. It is a massive loss to the entire aerospace industry in this state," Mr Ayres said.

"While we are yet to see any real detail, we have been told that the company will move the entire Milperra site to Fisherman's Bend in Victoria."

"We know that the Victorian State Government invested $25 million, matching an equal investment from the federal Government to attract Boeing to Victoria."

Mr Ayres said that he would be meeting with the company this morning and would ask Premier Kristina Keneally to convene an urgent meeting with unions and the company's Managing Director in an effort to keep the company in NSW.

"We must also face the fact that Boeing has been a focus for investment and aerospace research and development in this state and that is now also lost," he said.

For further information

Contact:	Tim Ayres
Union:	AMWU Acting NSW State Secretary
WWW:	http://www.amwu.org.au/

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