Whyalla Steelworks has now been offline for 50 days, following a routine stoppage that was only meant to last two days.
The cause of the extended pause has been attributed to the blast furnace cooling too much, causing the molten metal inside to harden.
Until it’s back up and running, GFG Alliance have struck a deal with the Unions to enact a temporary solution.
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More than 1,000 employees will be moved to a 9-5 day shift from Monday to Friday, instead of the usual 12-hour shifts within the 24/7 operation.
This means workers are now down 20-30 per cent on their usual wage.
It’s hoped the furnace will be fixed and running by mid to late May.
