More than 500 workers packed the WIN Entertainment Centre this morning to consider the offer, which was hashed out between union delegates and BlueScope during difficult negotiations last month.

Around 300 production jobs and 100 mechanical and electrical jobs will be slashed, in addition to about 430 office-based positions.

Around 300 contractors are also expected to lose their jobs.

Australian Workers Union Port Kembla branch secretary Andy Gillespie said negotiations were so successful that there would be no forced redundancies in production departments, and some workers who had been hoping for a redundancy package would would miss out.

“It’s been a lot of negotiations, a lot of time, a lot of energy, a lot of frustrations … [and] its not finished yet,” he told the meeting.

“We have to go through all the issues of how this place is going to operate in the years to come.”

Workers will be offered a redundancy deal of 2½ weeks’ pay for each year served, plus 14 weeks’ severance pay. They will also receive a cash payment of between $7500 and $12,500 unless it exceeds two years’ pay.

Those made redundant would leave before October 31. The agreement will be subject to a six-month trial period.