Coal mining companies are to blame for a lockout at the Port Kembla Coal Terminal which will start on Sunday, the workers’ union has said.
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The coal terminal (PKCT) will lock its workforce out for four days from 7pm on Sunday as the company strikes back after industrial action by union members over Christmas.
PKCT said its industrial action came after the CFMEU announced more industrial action which was to start on Sunday afternoon and continue sporadically over more than 80 hours.
The workers will be locked out for the whole four days, a move which has infuriated their union.
PKCT and the CFMEU are in the dispute stage of negotiations for a new enterprise agreement (EA) for workers at the export operation
Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union district vice-president Bob Timbs lashed out at the lockout.
“This is an outrageous move by PKCT to instigate a lockout which can only serve to worsen a dispute over an Enterprise Agreement,” he said.
“Our members have been trying to negotiate a new enterprise agreement with PKCT and instead of continuing those talks in good faith, the company has decided to lock the workforce out for five days.”
But PKCT said the action was necessary given the days of bans and stoppages the CFMEU had threatened.
“PKCT has taken steps to ensure operations can safely continue in a restricted manner,” operations manager John Gorman said.
“We have a team of professionals who will operate the Terminal to ensure the safe delivery of products by rail and road to PKCT and to load the ships for our customers and keep the Illawarra exporting.”
A picket line will be formed on Monday morning.
The lockout comes two weeks after Mr Gorman said the company “cannot afford any disruption to its operation”.
“The ongoing sustainability of PKCT’s business is at risk,” Mr Gorman told the Mercury on December 20.
“Agreement on the EA must be reached immediately to ensure that PKCT can operate and deliver essential export services to the coal industry in New South Wales.”
PKCT is owned and operated by local coal mining companies South 32, Glencore, Peabody Energy, Centennial Coal and Wollongong Coal.
Mr Timbs said the CFMEU was now ready to negotiate and wanted the workers to stay on the job, but blamed the miners for the PKCT action.
“We know the coal companies are behind this move and we are calling on all those involved to step back and reflect on how to resolve this dispute rather than make matters worse,” he said.
