Manufacturing businesses and their employees in Victoria who aspire to supply Victorian Government funded construction projects are more likely to succeed after a union-led push to include more local manufacturing business in Government contracts.
The CFMEU Manufacturing Division and key employers have secured a commitment which guarantees contracts for local businesses on key government funded projects.
The commitment will help secure thousands of jobs in Victoria's manufacturing belts in the North, West and South-East of Melbourne, Geelong, and regions like Gippsland and Colac where timber workers and businesses will benefit.
CFMEU Manufacturing National Secretary Michael O'Connor convened a roundtable this week to address issues in the Victorian Government's Local Jobs First policy.
Senior management from Total Window Concepts, G. James, Schiavello Group, Jacaranda Industries and SOLOS Glass, union delegates from those companies and Victorian Government officials were represented at the Roundtable.
The union has been campaigning for the Victorian Government to ensure Strategic Projects, like the $5.4 billion social housing projects use Australian made products.
While the Local Jobs First policy already required 90% minimum local content, the obligation has often been filled by contractors in previous projects exclusively with major structural and non-material components such as steel, concrete, and labour.
This has meant manufacturers of the finishing components have been left out and replaced with imports. This has included manufacturers of glass and aluminium products, cabinets, joinery, kitchens, shower screens, curtains, blinds and carpets,
The union is pleased to have received support from the Jobs and Industry Minister Martin Pakula, Employment Minister Jaala Pulford and Housing and Planning Minister Richard Wynne for a minimum local content specification of 85% for "Furniture Fittings and Equipment" in the first wave of the $5.4 social housing "Big Housing Build" and a commitment to boost locally manufactured product by even more.
The joint union/ company communique from the meeting is available for
