Griffin Coal Workers 43% Pay Cut

[GazzF6]

The rapidly changing pace of mining.... Now well under paid?

THE Australian Manufacturing Workers’ Union (AMWU) has condemned a decision handed down by the Fair Work Commission on 9 June, which will see 70 maintenance workers at the Griffin coal mine in Collie, cop a massive 43 per cent pay cut with the stroke of a pen.

The Fair Work Commission has approved an application by The Griffin Coal Mining Company, to terminate the current enterprise agreement between the company and maintenance workers at the mine after its nominal expiry date on July, 10 2016.

After 12 months of protracted negotiations, over which time Griffin has continually tried to cut pay and strip back the working conditions and entitlements fairly negotiated by workers over many years, the Fair Work Commission has ruled that, in the “public interest” the agreement should be terminated as of July 10.

At which time, maintenance workers will then revert back to the Black Coal Mining Industry Award (2010), resulting in a massive 43 per cent pay cut and the loss of entitlements and conditions.

AMWU State Secretary, Steve McCartney, described the decision as an outrageous attack on the workers and their families, and a kick in the guts to the whole Collie community.

“How can the Fair Work Commission describe this decision as being in the “public interest”, when its the workers, their families and the whole Collie community who will suffer as a result of this company’s poor business practices,” he said.

“Here we have a foreign-owned, multi national company, who have run this operation into the ground, and now thanks to the Fair Work Commission Griffin are able to walk away from their responsibility to their workforce and the town.

“In the end, this decision means it will be the Collie community who pay the price for Griffin’s ineptitude.”

Mr McCartney also criticised the Barnett Government’s lack of transition plan for Collie and the local coal mining industry.

“Is the Barnett Government going to just stand by and see these workers, their families and the town of Collie suffer because of the business failings of Griffin Coal?,” he said.

“Its obvious the Barnett Government doesn’t have a transition plan for Collie and the coal mining industry, and they seem determined to sit on their hands and let the town die.

“The AMWU won’t be deserting these workers or Collie, and we’ll be seeking an injunction and appealing the decision to the full bench, as well as pursuing a fair replacement agreement for these workers.”