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Hastie collapse leaves plumbers in firing line
Approximately 3000 workers - predominanantly plumbers and electricians have been stood down accross Victoria, NSW, Quennsland and the ACT after the engineering firm Hastie Group was placed into administration.
The company admistrator - PPB Advisory are hopeful that many of the workers affected will be able to stay in work once the details of the company's collapseare sorted out.
"A lot of the contracts that Hastie is involved with will have to be done whatever happens, so either Hastie will finish them or the head contractors will take over, and we understand that a number of employees have already been approached to start employment with the head contractors" PPB director Ian Carson said on the ABC.
PPB says its first priority is to pay employee entitlements.
The plumbers' union says many businesses will be brought down by Hastie's collapse.
Earl Setches from the CEPU (Communications, Electrical and Plumbing Union) told ABC Local Radio that it was a sad day for the workers of the companies taken over by Hastie.
"The workforce is sanitary plumbers, mechanical plumbers who install air conditioning, sprinkler fitters who install fire protection in buildings and there are a number of electrical companies," he said.
"It's a sad day that these mum-and-dad companies that were bought by Hastie Group will be all wound up."
Infrastructure Minister Anthony Albanese pledged Government support for any plumbers who've lost their jobs.
"The Government has in place a range of measures when something like this happens," he said.
"We think the loss of any job is significant, let alone the loss of numbers of jobs. And certainly we will be examining and providing what assistance we can to the workforce there."
The admistrator has set up a hotline for plumbers affected by the collapse.
For more information call 1300 868 464 or visit its website.
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