Industrial action flagging Alcoa could have a very significant impact on the local economy, according to Mandurah MP David Templeman.
For the past 18 months, the company and Australian Workers Union have failed to settle on conditions of a new Enterprise Bargaining Agreement (EBA) for the mining giants Western Australian operations.
The lower house member expressed deep concerns for the families and businesses affected by the negotiation fall-out in the region.
Read more:
The lower house members concerns have been echoed by Murray Wellington MP Robyn Clarke, who has been on the ground at picket lines discussing issues with employees.
Mr Templeman said that both he and Ms Clarke understood that the 1600 workers involved had not taken strike action lightly.
Robyn and I have visited the picket lines, attended the major rally at Parliament House on Wednesday this week and have talked to numerous workers involved in the dispute, Mr Templeman said.
They are very concerned about job security and many have expressed to us that for them this issue is about the job security for their families and those workers who will seek to work at Alcoa in the future.
Mr Templeman said Alcoa was a critical employer in the region and therefore job security at that company underpinned the confidence of employment across the region.
The huge numbers of families associated with Alcoa through employment there have a very significant impact on our local economy, on the local businesses that rely on their custom throughout the region.
Thats why Robyn and I understand that this action is having a huge impact on those families concerned.
Mr Templeman said that as local members, he and Ms Clarke needed to express their support for the workers and their families and strongly urged Alcoa management to work with the union to reach an agreement as soon as possible.
Premier Mark McGowan and his deputy Roger Cook also took an interest in the industrial action by joining strikers at the picket line outside of Alcoa's Kwinana operations on Wednesday.
