Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Gujarat NRE has asked its Illawarra workforce to take up to six weeks’ unpaid or long service leave, with just a few employees left to man the longwall mines at Russell Vale and Wongawilli.
The request came as company chairman Arun Jagatramka, announced he was stepping down from his position.
In a meeting with company representatives yesterday, workers were told Gujarat NRE wanted to keep a light crew on the longwall mines and asked other workers to take voluntary unpaid or long service leave for at least the next month.
But the Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union advised members who wanted to attend work to do so with the expectation they would be paid.
CFMEU south-western district vice-president Bob Timbs said he understood weekly wages would be paid in the short term from next week following another meeting with company representatives yesterday afternoon.
‘‘From our meeting today we understand that weekly wage payments will be made at least in the short term,’’ he said.
‘‘We will endeavour to use all our resources to make sure they are paid as it is our understanding there are sums available for wage payment.’’
Workers are still owed a further four weeks’ unpaid wages and six months of superannuation payments. They received one week’s wages on Friday afternoon after five weeks without being paid.
Mr Timbs said the company had agreed to a meeting in the coming weeks to discuss arrangements for back pay and superannuation.
Workers had mixed thoughts on their plans for the next few weeks. Some were keen to return to the job with the hope their back pay would soon start rolling in, while others were adamant they would stay away until the company paid them all the money they were owed, pursuing other work in the meantime.
One longwall mine worker told the Mercury he would feel uncomfortable heading to work if his co-workers took leave.
‘‘I don’t know about fronting up to work while the others don’t get that option,’’ he said.
Another said: ‘‘It’s demoralising for some of us, but we live in the hope things will get better.’’
One worker who had been with the company for seven years said he was living off his savings and couldn’t understand why the company hadn’t yet paid workers the full amount they were owed.
‘‘The industry has had its ups and downs so I know to keep a bit in reserve, but that money doesn’t last for long. If they [Jindal Steel] have taken over the company, why don’t they just pay us and let us get back to work?’’
The sentiment among union members was summed up by a worker: ‘‘It would just be nice to know what Jindal is doing.’’
Yesterday’s meeting came as Mr Jagatramka resigned as executive chairman of Gujarat NRE Coking Coal. He will be replaced by Jasbir Singh, Jindal Steel and Power’s Australian general manager, who has been appointed chairman and interim chief executive officer.
A Gujarat spokeswoman said Mr Jagatramka would remain on the company’s board.
Gujarat NRE did not respond to the Mercury’s questions yesterday regarding paying workers or plans for the company after the next six weeks.
