The union’s position was announced at the 23 July 2008 roundtable. The AWU has since released a report on the outcomes of the meeting, which it says was positive.
Currently, aluminium smelters and other big emitters are given free carbon trading permits. The AWU claims some companies could take the permits and leave Australia anyway, citing a precedent from the European Union.
According to the union, should that happen, the metal workers and employees affected by the companies’ actions should be awarded the carbon permits instead as compensation.