The miners turned up at Appin East and Appin West mine sites in helmets, hi-vis work shirts and boots, but with boxers and briefs where their pants should be.

Appin Colliery lodge president Dave McLachlan said the guys did turn up for work with grins on their faces, but he said the early morning undie protest had a serious message underneath.

Mr McLachlan claimed South32 had been taking too long to deliver on a laundering service that should have been in place by July last year.

“During our certified agreement negotiations, which was put in place in January last year, we were supposed to have a laundering service started at the beginning of July,” Mr McLachlan said on Tuesday.

“We gave management that five months’ grace [from January to July] to get that laundry service in place. As of today the laundry service is still not available.”

As well as the laundering service, Mr McLachlan said the protest was also over the limited availability of work gear.

“We’re supposed to get [a clothing issue] annually – there are some people working at the colliery who have not received a clothing issue for over 18 months,” he said.

“We’re coalminers – we work underground in a dirty and corrosive environment where a set of clothing doesn’t last as long as it does on the surface.

“There are guys walking around with holes in their pants.”

A spokesman for South32 confirmed the agreement stated the clothing laundering service was to be in place by July 1, 2016.

“We have been working to secure a supplier of clothing suitable for industrial laundering, which has resulted in some delay,” the spokesman said.

“This has now been resolved and the service is expected to be implemented in the coming weeks.”

The spokesman said South32 had offered compensation for the delay.