Wollongong Coal is preparing to re-open its Wongawilli coal mine on July 5, creating more than 70 jobs but using casual contractors instead of the workforce laid off last year.
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Workers at the mine were told earlier this week by management that all current employees would be kept on, while contract mine operator Delta would take on close to 80 casuals, an industry source told the Mercury.
Delta would then take over the running of the mine on a day-to-day basis, the Mercury understands.
The workforce at Wongawilli, which has been in care and maintenance mode with preparations being made for a restart, was told of the developments by Wollongong Coal’s operations manager Rhys Brett earlier this week.
Those on site already were told they could stay on, while Delta would take over the day-to-day operations of the mine, and would employ casual contract workers to do so, the source said.
This will anger many of the workforce laid off last September, who had asked to be redeployed but were told there were no plans at Wongawilli.
The mineworkers’ union and many laid-off workers had been voicing their concerns since last year that the company might let them go then replace them with lower-paid contract casuals. They had been seeking a commitment from Wollongong Coal that this would not happen.
The casuals taken on at Wongawilli will be paid significantly less than the permanent workers laid off last year.
Wollongong Coal was contacted for comment about these issues and the reopening, but did not respond.
It had not revealed any plans to re-open Wongawilli, saying the contract workers on site were just performing care and maintenance duties.
Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy union district vice-president Bob Timbs confirmed the pay would be “considerably less” under the agreement with Delta.
“We don’t begrudge any coal miner getting a job in our district,” he said.
“We understand a lot of them have pressures and need to find a job.
“But the union is disappointed with Wollongong Coal that they didn’t take on ex-employees on a permanent basis.”
It is understood recruitment will soon take place. Extraction will be via the bord and pillar method.
Last December Wollongong Coal was given permission by the Planning Assessment Commission to extend the life of the Wongawilli mine by five years.
Wongawilli had been in care and maintenance mode since early 2014. The Russell Vale mine will remain stalled, lacking planning consent to mine.
