The union's intervention was announced as Parramatta residents warned they would be prepared to"put their bodies in front of machinery"to save Willow Grove and St George's Terrace.
But the NSW Premier,Gladys Berejiklian,through a spokesperson said:"Powerhouse Parramatta project will proceed. One-third of NSW’s population is in western Sydney and they deserve to have an iconic cultural institution."
The heritage halls of the Powerhouse Museum at Ultimo will be shut to general public entry by the end of Tuesday amid rising public protest about moving the institution to Parramatta. The Wran Building and galleria,opened in 1988,will close in 12 months'time. Booked tours of the heritage halls will continue until the year's end.
The new Parramatta Powerhouse is scheduled to open in late 2024 on the banks of the river.
The Parramatta Powerhouse's Environment Impact Statement,now in the final week of public consultation,supported the demolition of the 19th-century Italianate villa Willow Grove,formerly a maternity hospital,and a row of terraces known as St George's Terrace.
The EIS found that in the Parramatta CBD,Willow Grove is "one of its kind" while St George’s Terrace is the only remaining example of a terrace row in its architectural style and their loss would have a significant impact on the community's connection with heritage.