The AMWU wants the NSW government to award train, bus and ferry contracts to manufacterers in the Hunter region in order to protect local manufacturing jobs and the manufacturing industry.
An independent report commissioned by the AMWU has found if these contracts were secured locally at least 1,200 direct jobs would be created.
Local content requirements for public transport procurement have dropped significantly in recent years.
Train carriages and buses are now commonly brought in from overseas in flat pack or shell form, to be fitted and out and given their finishing touches here.
This trend is undermining our local transport manufacturing industries.
Due to some ongoing contracts, NSW has managed to maintain the skills and technologies needed to build our buses, train and ferries.
But if the NSW Government – the biggest player in transport procurement – continues to send the work to low-cost offshore competitors, it won’t be long before we lose our skills base and manufacturing capacity.
In the tendering process for the next round of trains, buses and ferries, we are asking the NSW Government to:
- insist tenderers submit a local industry participation plan
- commit where possible to build locally to maximise content
- specify a three to one apprentice to tradesman ratio.
- A strong transport manufacturing capacity in NSW can build jobs, offer an efficient solution to public transport procurement into the future and drive our economy.
