Port Kembla Coal Terminal workers back on deck

By Ben Langford
Updated November 6 2012 - 3:30am, first published February 23 2012 - 10:13am
Port Kembla Coal Terminal is active again after weeks of industrial action was resolved yesterday.
Port Kembla Coal Terminal is active again after weeks of industrial action was resolved yesterday.

Coal is being loaded again at the Port Kembla Coal Terminal after a weeks-long campaign of industrial action was called off yesterday and employees returned to work.The industrial action came to an end after a deal was reached between coal terminal management and the Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union (CFMEU) over a new enterprise agreement.The rolling stoppages shut down the terminal for seven days last week and more action had been planned.But the deal means almost 100 employees are back at work and coal is again being loaded onto ships which had been waiting offshore.It also means the threat by freight company Pacific National to stand down 61 Illawarra-based train drivers will not go ahead.CFMEU district vice-president Bob Timbs said terminal management had agreed to a 4.5 per cent pay rise per year for three years, plus job security provisions and the ability for all parts of the agreement to be arbitrated at Fair Work Australia if necessary."From the outset, terminal workers themselves have driven this result; from deciding to take industrial action at the ballot through to showing the resolve in striking for their conditions," Mr Timbs said."They offered to help out some of the smaller terminal users who were affected by the strike to avoid undue financial hardship."Port Kembla Coal Terminal (PKCT) general manager Peter Green welcomed the in-principle agreement and the end to the industrial action. He said he expected the CFMEU leadership would "genuinely recommend" the deal to members."For many years we have worked hard to place PKCT in a strong position of reliability with our customers by avoiding ship queues; however, the industrial action has threatened our reputation with our service providers, and our customers in domestic and international markets," he said.Mr Green would not comment on whether he was satisfied with the outcome he negotiated for PKCT, which is operated by BHP Billiton on behalf of the region's coalminers which own it.Workers will vote on the agreement early next week.Mr Timbs said the threat from Pacific National to stand down other workers had played on the minds of the strikers."Of course it plays on you," he said. "[Members] even toughed out the bullyboy tactics from Pacific National Coal management who tried to break their resolve by threatening to stand down ... train drivers."Pacific National coal director David Irwin said: "We are pleased that discussions between the CFMEU and Port Kembla Coal Terminal have led to the withdrawal of industrial action so that we can continue working. This is positive news for ... employees and for our customers."

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