A protest will take place in Wollongong on Monday as workers oppose the South32 supervisors lock out at the company’s Appin coal mine.
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Last Friday, the Mercury reported that according to the workers’ union, supervisors at South32’s Appin coal mine have been locked out in retaliation for standing up for their rights.
A new roster requiring an extra four hours of work with no additional pay was “forced onto” supervisors, the Collieries Staff & Officials Association (CSOA) said, and the workers were locked out after taking protected industrial action.
A protest is due to take place at the South32 head office at the Innovation Campus, University of Wollongong from 8.30am.
The CSOA noted that on the eve of Tuesday’s 39th anniversary of the Appin mine disaster which killed 14 people; “the very workers responsible for monitoring gas and ensuring safety at Appin have been locked out by South32”.
The CSOA’s Kylie Rooke said the decision to lock out supervisors placed more than 1000 remaining workers in serious danger.
“This is a much more complex mine than most – it is one of the largest underground coal mines in NSW, with very complex geological conditions and unique ventilation systems to protect workers,” Ms Rooke said.
“The mine was closed down by the Regulator for three months last year due to excessive gas levels in the mine, which has historically been a cause of explosions.”
The CSOA says the company has rushed through “haphazard training” for inexperienced staff to replace the supervisors who have overseen the mine for decades.
The CSOA has also written to the NSW Department of Planning Resources Regulator, raising concerns about safety at the mine.
“The simple fact is that if you kick out the experienced supervisors and replace them (with) a fresh workforce that don’t have the same experience, you create risk," Ms Rooke said.
“We’re calling on South32 to stop this dangerous and irresponsible course of action and negotiate a reasonable pay outcome for workers, or an alternative roster.”
A spokesperson from Illawarra Coal said South32 has been negotiating the EBA for “more than two years and has made a fair and considered offer that increases employee remuneration and retains all current benefits”.
“Ongoing industrial action impedes our ability to operate safely and reliably, and so we have taken the difficult decision to remove the Deputies from site and operate the mine with alternative labour arrangements.
“Our priority must be to establish safe, reliable and sustainable operations at Illawarra Coal and our negotiations reflect this.”