AUSTRALIA’S mineral boom is not all good news, as Illawarra’s Bluescope facility will attest to.
Western Australia is attracting a large number of workers, drawn by the temptations of earnings 300% more than their usual pay.
The resulting workforce shortage is causing delays and cost blow-outs in places like Illawara. The relining of BlueScope’s Number Five blast furnace is among the projects affected. Companies are considering employing workers from places like China and Vietnam.
Industry insiders such as Camarda and Cantrill manager Colleen Camarda say this is the severest shortage of skilled workers in 50 years. Camarda has also blamed the “poor attitude” of some workers who cannot keep to schedule and leave jobs unfinished.
A BlueScope Steel spokesman said the company had been aware of the problems, and had adjusted the estimated costs of the operation from its original $40m to $370m during the beginning of 2008.
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