The Western Advocate revealed on Saturday that Downer EDI’s 100 employees have entered a 20-day period of consultation with management prior to a final decision on the plant’s future. 

One staff member yesterday said a lot of workers were tradies with young families, mortgages and car loans.

The plant employs boilermakers, electrical mechanics, spray painters, fitters and administrative staff. 

The shattered worker said if EDI Downer ceases operations in Bathurst it would affect not only those employed at the plant, but the city as a whole. 

“With so many tradies entering the market, it is going to be very hard to find another job,” he said. 

He added that the news came as a shock to many who were oblivious of what was coming. 

“They are just devastated,” he said.

Downer EDI executives said the plan was to move all local work to Cardiff, near Newcastle, and the Newport plant in Victoria. 

Australian Workers’ Union western region organiser Alan Haynes yesterday said the union was just as shocked as the employees.

“It came way of out of left field,” he said. “We were told the plant would be closing in the next two or three months.

“We had no idea there would be a review.”

NSW secretary of the AWU, Russ Collison, is in Bathurst today for meetings with management and employees. 

Meanwhile, Downer EDI corporate affairs manager Michael Sharp said management would meet with the workforce over the next three weeks, listen, and see what emerges.

He said he had spoken with local state and federal MPs and the mayor of Bathurst to advise them of the situation.

“Obviously we will consider any proposal from the political representatives for the Bathurst region,” Mr Sharp said.

Mr Sharp said both staff transfers and redundancies were on the table.

“Staff have been informed of relocation opportunities to Downer Rail sites or, depending on their skills, to other Downer sites,” he said.

“We will sit with every employee on a one-on-one basis and discuss the options if we were to go down that path.”

Mr Sharp said the situation was definitely a tough one for all involved.

The announcement comes hot on the heels of news that the local Simplot plant, which directly employs around 200 people, is also fighting for its future.