The Labor council is one of several groups campaigning for the state or federal governments to mandate the use of Australian steel in public infrastructure work.

Part of the Labor council's approach is to show that workers in other industries support the move to keep the steelworks producing steel in the Illawarra.

"We have workers in dozens of industries that have queued up to show their support," Mr Rorris said.

"We want to demonstrate that the steel industry in the Illawarra doesn't just affect steelworkers, it affects every worker in this region. It is too big to fail.

"The penny has finally dropped that this is not just about steel and steelworkers, this is an industry that has formed the foundation of the Illawarra economy for decades and losing it will be catastrophic for everyone, not just the steelworkers."

The council is pushing for the state and federal government to pass legislation similar to what has existed in the United States since 1933, that at least 50 per cent of the steel used in public infrastructure projects is Australian-made.

"It is the socially responsible and economically smart thing to do," Mr Rorris said.

"We have said at least 50 per cent - we'd love 100 per cent - but we've said at least 50 because it allows for exemptions. If you say 100 per cent and you don't make that kind of steel then the exemptions start.

"But there needs to be some immediate action, so that may well be 100 per cent in the short term because we are dealing with a real crisis here."

Mr Rorris said the council was liaising with some of the other groups pushing governments to use more Australian steel.

He felt the more groups calling for action, the better the chances of forcing governments to move.

"The fact is, getting any movement on public procurement will be a big step forward," Mr Rorris said.

"That will be a big battle because getting government to move legislation mandating the use of Australian product has become a very thorny issue, unfortunately.

"We say, given where the steel industry is at this point in time, if pollies are not prepared to consider legislation to actually use Australian steel product then they don't really have a handle on how serious the situation is and how catastrophic the economic consequences would be if we lose an industry for a lack of public project demand."

The Labor council has also started a petition at Change.org called Port Kembla Steel: Buy it Here - Keep it Here, which has more than 2700 signatures.

There is also a Save Our Steel public meeting on Wednesday night, 6.30pm, at the Fraternity Club in Fairy Meadow.