Published Friday, 06 February, 2009 at 01:55 PM
Minister for Tourism, Regional Development and Industry
The Honourable Desley Boyle
HELP AT HAND FOR RETRENCHED MARYBOROUGH WORKERS
The State Government is providing support to help workers recently retrenched from Maryborough firm CQMS Casting to find new jobs.
Regional Development and Industry Minister Desley Boyle said 30 workers were laid off by the foundry in late January.
The company manufactures dragline and excavator buckets for the mining industry.
Ms Boyle said the slow-down in the resources sector led to the firm having to reduce its number of full-time boilermakers and fitter and turners.
“More than half of the retrenched workers were on contracts and no apprentices have been affected,” she said.
“While it is an unfortunate situation all round, some of the laid-off workers have already found work elsewhere in the town.
“The Queensland Government is acting to get as many of the workers as possible working again.”
Ms Boyle said the 21 remaining affected staff would be entitled to up to $2,000 in assistance – up to $1,000 for training and up to another $1,000 for job preparation.
“This support has been approved through the Queensland Government’s Worker Assistance Program, which was introduced in 1999 to minimise the impact of large-scale retrenchments on communities,” she said.
“The program is a ‘safety-net’ that has been put in place to prevent retrenched workers from entering into the long-term unemployed pool.
“It’s something we can activate swiftly to help Queenslanders who have been left without a job to get back out there earning money.”
Ms Boyle said the Worker Assistance Program was one of the support services available as part of the recent Rapid Response Team approach.
“At the beginning of the year Rapid Response Teams were activated in the regions to help minimise the impact of the economic downturn.
"There is no doubt that Queensland is feeling the effects of a global economic crisis but I am determined that as a Government we will protect Queenslanders' jobs wherever possible," Ms Boyle said.
404 people state-wide have contacted the Worker’s Assistance Hotline for assistance.
6 February 2009
Workers assistance line: Freecall 1800 035 749.
Media contact: 3224 2007 or 3225 1005
Regional Development and Industry Minister Desley Boyle said 30 workers were laid off by the foundry in late January.
The company manufactures dragline and excavator buckets for the mining industry.
Ms Boyle said the slow-down in the resources sector led to the firm having to reduce its number of full-time boilermakers and fitter and turners.
“More than half of the retrenched workers were on contracts and no apprentices have been affected,” she said.
“While it is an unfortunate situation all round, some of the laid-off workers have already found work elsewhere in the town.
“The Queensland Government is acting to get as many of the workers as possible working again.”
Ms Boyle said the 21 remaining affected staff would be entitled to up to $2,000 in assistance – up to $1,000 for training and up to another $1,000 for job preparation.
“This support has been approved through the Queensland Government’s Worker Assistance Program, which was introduced in 1999 to minimise the impact of large-scale retrenchments on communities,” she said.
“The program is a ‘safety-net’ that has been put in place to prevent retrenched workers from entering into the long-term unemployed pool.
“It’s something we can activate swiftly to help Queenslanders who have been left without a job to get back out there earning money.”
Ms Boyle said the Worker Assistance Program was one of the support services available as part of the recent Rapid Response Team approach.
“At the beginning of the year Rapid Response Teams were activated in the regions to help minimise the impact of the economic downturn.
"There is no doubt that Queensland is feeling the effects of a global economic crisis but I am determined that as a Government we will protect Queenslanders' jobs wherever possible," Ms Boyle said.
404 people state-wide have contacted the Worker’s Assistance Hotline for assistance.
6 February 2009
Workers assistance line: Freecall 1800 035 749.
Media contact: 3224 2007 or 3225 1005