Workers will not recover from the damage they will suffer if they lose their manufacturing jobs with Holden, a union says.
Holden says talk it plans to close its Australian manufacturing operations in 2016 is pure speculation and has told workers in Adelaide they will be the first to know if it makes a decision.
Australian Manufacturing Workers Union (AMWU) Victorian secretary Steve Dargavel says workers are struggling with uncertainty in the lead-up to Christmas.
"Workers are facing enormous uncertainty," Mr Dargavel told reporters in Melbourne.
"This is not a good time leading up to Christmas to be considering the doubt created by the coalition's failure to provide the certainty this industry requires."
He said many workers would be pushed into the services industry and would struggle to retrain.
"The services industry will not soak up all of these redundant workers," he said.
A high Aussie dollar, punishing tariffs and a lack of government support had made it difficult for the car manufacturing industry to stay afloat, he said.
Mr Dargavel said Holden needed government support to remain in Australia.
"Tony Abbott needs to reverse his party's position of ripping money out of the industry," he said.
The prime minister on Friday said the coalition took to the election a policy that included substantial support for the motor industry.
"We stand ready to make that support available," he said.
"But there's not going to be any extra money over and above the generous support the taxpayers have been giving the motor industry for a long time."
