Australian unions are celebrating huge new opportunities for cooperation and collaboration in the shipbuilding industry after an MoU was signed today between all shipbuilding unions.

The MoU, involving the AMWU, AWU, ETU and Professionals Australia will allow the shipbuilding unions to capitalise on increased levels of defence spending and create good, steady jobs for workers in the industry for years to come.

This federation demonstrates the commitment of all shipbuilding unions to ensuring that Australian workers get good, secure jobs as a result of Australian government spending.

Quotes attributable to ACTU Assistant Secretary Scott Connolly:

“This new federation is extremely exciting for the Australian union movement, it will help create new jobs and ensure that working people benefit from the increased defence spending which has been committed to.

“This is a big win for workers not only in the shipbuilding industry but all the way up and down the supply chain.

“Workers in Australia should see huge benefits from spending on defence and this federation will ensure they don’t miss out.

ENDS