But the state secretaries of the Australian Manufacturers Workers’ Union (AMWU) Tim Ayres and the Australian Workers Union (AWU) Russ Collison are realistic about their chances and will move to ensure the factory is used by another company if the last-ditch efforts fail.

Mr Collison said he had written to Prime Minister Tony Abbott and NSW Premier Barry O’Farrell about the pending closures of Electrolux and Simplot in Bathurst, asking them to jointly put assistance packages together for workers.

“Our endeavour is to maintain the present operations irrespective of the decision by Electrolux,” he said.

“Secondly we want to make sure this facility doesn’t go into mothballs and cobwebs and make sure it’s utilised.

“This company has got to own up to their responsibilities.”

When he announced the closure, Electrolux Australia and New Zealand managing director Dr John Brown said a federal handout would not have changed the board’s decision to close the factory.

But Mr Ayres said Electrolux was trying to be polite about the federal government’s role.

“The fact is no package was offered,” he said.

“There was no dialogue and no serious engagement with head office in Sweden.”

He said workers at the meeting were angry and worried about their futures, but a precedent had been set by other major closures such as BHP where unions, the company and both governments had worked together to find jobs for the workers.

With the closure at least two and half years away, Mr Collison and Mr Ayres said there was time to lobby for rescue packages from both tiers of government to secure jobs in the region.

“It’s a regional jobs crisis that goes beyond Electrolux,” Mr Ayres said.

“Really 1000 high-quality blue collar jobs have gone in the area and Tony Abbott and Barry O’Farrell appear not to have noticed.”

He said the plant had done all it could to be as productive as possible, but the federal and state governments had dropped the ball.

clare.colley@fairfaxmedia.com.au