AMWU challenges Vaile to face Electolux workers.
White goods manufacturer, Electrolux has announced 300 jobs will be lost from their plants in Orange and Adelaide.
The company plans to import goods from China and Thailand rather than manufacture locally.
The Australian Manufacturing Workers Union said the job losses were a terrible blow to workers and to the communities of Orange and Adelaide.
“In the same week that our Trade Minister is flying to China to talk about a free trade agreement, workers and communities are suffering job losses that will cut very deeply,” Mr. Cameron said.
“These job losses are the clearest example that unless our Government works to protect Australian jobs, these Free Trade Agreements will devastate our local economies,” Mr. Cameron said.
Mr. Cameron said that the uncritical signing of Free Trade Agreements with countries like Thailand, China and the US was destroying Australian manufacturing.
“Other national Governments are operating in the best interests of their populations, whereas our Government is trading away our jobs, our childrens futures and our industries for no return,” Mr. Cameron said.
“I challenge Minister Vaile that immediately on his return he accompanies me to Orange and Adelaide to explain to the workers how the Governments free trade policy is going to benefit them, and why their jobs are expendable, ” Mr. Cameron said.
