 
.gif)
|
Signature Sponsor
By Ainslie Drewitt-Smith
January 18, 2019 - Casual workers at a New South Wales coal mine will be placed on permanent contracts after a landmark agreement between the mining union and the colliery's operator.
About 70 workers from the Wongawilli mine south west of Sydney launched strike action this week, demanding improved pay and conditions.
CFMEU members had planned to picket at the Wongawilli Colliery for 14 days. Photo by Gavin Coote, ABC Illawarra
The Construction, Forestry, Maritime, Mining and Energy Union claims employees at the mine, owned by Wollongong Coal, have been paid less than workers at nearby operations due to labour hire being outsourced to CAS Mining.
Union organizer Bob Timbs said the parties had now reached a resolution that would see the mine's employees placed on permanent contracts.
"Last week, our members at Wongawilli were casualized, labor hire workers, [the] lowest paid in the region," Timbs said.
"The deal that we have secured for them will have them put on as permanent employees and the highest-paid labor hire workers in our region."
As part of the two year enterprise agreement, workers will be offered fixed term, permanent contracts, a 2 percent pay rise twice annually, and will accrue leave.
The changes will see employees attract $4 extra an hour and the production bonus will increase by $50 an hour.
Members had planned to picket for two weeks but Timbs said it was a pleasant surprise the union was able to negotiate the significant agreement in only four days.
"You can't get any better than that, it's a huge step forward for labor hire workers, our union, and generally the community in the Illawarra," Timbs said.
"We spent a lot of time getting our members prepared for what we thought was going to be a lengthy battle, we were committed and we were going to see it out.
"We had to deal with CAS Mining but they were between a rock and a hard place they couldn't afford to pass on the increases unless Wollongong Coal passed on the increases," Timbs said.
Labor's Wollongong MP Paul Scully, Whitlam MP Stephen Jones and Cunningham MP Sharon Bird support mine workers picketing at the Wongawilli Colliery. Photo by Gavin Coote, ABC Illawarra
Union Membership Grows Ahead of Election
Labor representatives joined the picket throughout the week and used it to highlight the party's industrial relations policy ahead of the federal election.
Bob Timbs said there was a groundswell of support for the action with the union increasing members at the mine, from 13 to 80 in less than a year.
"We certainly couldn't have done this without that type of membership, that type of union density," Timbs said.
"The general feel and general mood in the public is 'we're getting sick of it' — we're getting sick of our members being exploited.
"We're getting sick of companies bypassing their obligations under the laws and their moral obligations to employ permanent employees, give people job satisfaction, give them job security."
'Amicable Resolution' Welcomed by Mine's Owner
Wollongong Coal's Chief Operating Officer Wayne Sly said the company was not party to the dispute but welcomed the outcome.
"We have offered to assist and support CAS Mining in approving the miners' demands to ensure the dispute came to an early resolution and our workers are not severely, financially impacted as a result of a lengthy strike," Sly said in a statement.
"Wollongong Coal came forward in the spirit of concern for the miners and for the community at large.
"We made our decision based on what would be the best outcome to benefit our workers and their families."
Members have returned to work with the enterprise agreement expected to be certified by in the Fair Work Commission next month. |
|
