ASC sheds shipbuilding jobs

ASC [Australian Submarine Corporation] has entered a second round of job cuts as the construction of the Royal Australian Navy’s Air Warfare Destroyers enters the home straight.

FILE PHOTO: NUSHIP Brisbane on builder sea trials. AWD Alliance photo.

In a media release issued today, ASC said that with the departure of the second of three Air Warfare Destroyers, Brisbane, and with the construction, test and activation of the third, Sydney, progressing well, it has become necessary for ASC Shipbuilding to further reduce the shipbuilding workforce to reflect operational demand and ensure the continued meeting of project budgets and schedules. 

Today’s announcement that up to 63 positions will be cut is in addition to the 93-position-cut foreshadowed in August, in which five workers were redeployed to ASC’s submarine business, 46 took voluntary redundancies and 42 non-voluntary redundancies.

“ASC Shipbuilding takes this action reluctantly and only following a rigorous process of identifying and filling redeployment opportunities to other areas in the ASC Group, including ASC’s submarine maintenance operations and the Offshore Patrol Vessel project, as well as with current and future ASC Shipbuilding project partners, where possible,” the unattributed company statement said. 

“Today’s announcement starts a minimum six-week consultation process with the Enterprise Agreement workforce, ahead of the possible redundancy of up 63 permanent positions, including 56 production employees and a further seven salaried positions.

“As part of this process, voluntary redundancy packages will be offered.”

ASC said it was briefing employees today on the impact of the changes and the support that will be provided through the company’s employee assistance program and career transition centre.

The company said that after today’s announcement, there would be no further workforce reduction activities announced by ASC Shipbuilding in 2018.

 

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