The latest job cuts at car maker Holden will be filled by voluntary redundancies but could lead to more job losses across the auto sector.
Union officials say they're confident enough workers will put up their hands to cover the 270 jobs to go at Holden's assembly operations in Adelaide as the company winds back production from 290 to 240 vehicles a day.
But they fear the May cuts will force component producers and service companies to also scale back.
"For every job that you take out of a car plant there's two jobs that are going to be lost in the component manufacturers and the service providers," Australian Manufacturing Workers' Union vehicles secretary Dave Smith said.
"We're talking 270 but it's actually closer to a four-figure amount."
Mr Smith said it was hoped Holden had been working with its component suppliers to ensure they could cope with lower production levels.
Holden says the cuts would better align production with demand and supported the company's plan to wind down production ahead of the plant's closure at the end of 2017.
AMWU South Australian official Scott Bachelor said workers at the Elizabeth plant were now resigned to their fate and many were keen to leave.
"There are some who want to get out the door and be ahead of the ball game, ahead of the rush," he said.
Mr Bachelor said it was difficult for anyone to be overly optimistic of finding a new job in the current economic climate but Holden workers had skills that made them very employable.
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