Holden workers have this morning been told by management that the second shift at the company’s Elizabeth plant in SA will re-start from November 15, 2010.

The Australian Manufacturing Workers’ Union is welcoming today’s announcement from Holden as good news for auto workers and a further confirmation that the government’s stimulus strategy shielded the economy during the global downturn and is now enabling a quicker recovery.

Currently 300 workers rotating on less than full-time hours.

The re-commencement of the second shift should allow workers to resume full-time hours.

AMWU SA Secretary, John Camillo, said:

“It is a credit to the workers and the government’s auto industry strategy that Holden has been able to hold out through this tough time, especially as the crisis forced its global parent, GM, to face bankruptcy in the US.

“We still experienced cutbacks in the production, but the contrast to the pain faced by American auto workers was in sharp relief to the Australian situation.

“Now, as the global economy picks up again, Holden Australia has been able to pick production back up just as quickly because they were able to avoid significant layoffs.

“The sacrifice made by the workers, as well as the investment from the government, has allowed the company to be in this position today.”