QUESTIONS have been raised about the hiring practices of local industry during last week’s Shire Council meeting. Three motions were put forward by Councillor Joe Italiano who said something needed to be done about the increasing number of drive-in drive-out workers (DIDO) in Collie.
The motions were:
❑ That Council writes to Premier Coal pointing out that as local people are no longer the company’s preferred choice as employees that Council’s previous position of support for the company and its operations is no longer to be taken for granted.
❑ That Council writes to the WA Premier Colin Barnett and opposition leader Mark McGowan expressing disappointment at Premier Coal’s employment practises and ask that both the government and opposition give support to the Council’s position by outlining to the company the need to support the shire and its people by employing local people in the coal mining industry.
❑ That Council writes to the departments of Health and Environment Regulation asking them to monitor noise, dust and water quality at Premier Coal’s Collie operations and report findings back to the Council.
Due to declared financial interests, Crs Faries, Piavanini, Sanford and Yates all had to leave the chamber.
“One of the first things I did when elected was read the 2012 DIDO study and it alluded to the fact that basically if we didn’t do something to arrest the slide of jobs going down the hill that Collie wouldn’t benefit from the industrial expansion that is likely to take place.” Cr Italiano said.
The study, which was commissioned by the Shire, found that 57 per cent (4304) of the local jobs in Collie were taken up by residents living outside of the community and driving to work every day.
Cr Italiano believed there was a concerted effort by Premier Coal to not only employ from down the hill, but to also change the structure of the management team.
“In that restructure a lot of good local people with strong community links have disappeared off the page,” he said.
“I’m very concerned that the longer this goes on, the more chance we have of waking up tomorrow and finding out more good local people are without a job.
“I believe that as a council, we should be making every endeavour to make sure that not only people that work in Collie, retain their positions but also our unemployed get a chance to gain employment.
“Despite what is happening in Collie, we do have jobs but unemployment is going up.
“This is because a lot of the jobs that are available at the mines are going to people that don’t live here.
“I also object to having to clean down the patio every Sunday morning, I object to having to listen to the noise, I object to the river issues going on which has, of course, been linked to the mining companies.
“But we put up with those things because the benefits are there for people to see, but if it is not providing local employment then we need to reinvestigate the situation.”
Cr Miffling chaired the meeting in the president’s absence.
He allowed for some brief discussion as he believed the motions were “provocative by nature”.
“I’m a bit concerned about the timing,” Cr Martin said.
“I understand the CEO and Shire president are still in discussion with Premier Coal and I think it would be prudent to defer these motions pending the outcome of those discussions.
“This Shire is also in a situation where not all our employees live in town and we are also in that same boat.
“I would like to make sure the discussions with Premier Coal are completed before we go any further.”
Cr Italiano said the present was as good a time as any to investigate the issue.
“The timing is important because there are people worried about their local employment, the timing is important because they may not be there next week, the timing is important because people can’t see any way out,” he said.
“They can’t complain because that will effectively mean the end of their employment.
“What applies here should apply to many companies.”
Cr Stanley urged caution with the motions – especially with it targeting one specific company.
At the end of the discussion, Cr Italiano agreed to defer the first and second motions and withdraw the third until Shire discussions with Premier Coal were concluded.
WHILE the issue of local employment is nothing new in Collie, the announcement by Premier Coal that is was ‘restructuring’ its work experience program at Collie Senior High School hit a nerve with the community.
Principle Domenic Camera said the school had worked with Premier for more than 20 years.
“The program takes 46-50 kids each year so Premier have been really supportive,” he said.
“We hope to keep working with them and we understand the restructure is a sign of the times in a changing marketplace.”
Premier Coal general manager investor relations and corporate affairs James Rickards denied the restructure would reduce opportunities for local students.
“Premier Coal remains committed to supporting the local Collie community and education and training initiatives,” he said.
“Our priority is to provide a structured and efficient work experience programme of benefit to the students in a safe working environment.
“Representatives of Premier Coal recently met with the school and other local stakeholders to discuss the existing programmes and to discuss how it can be improved in the best interests of the students and the operation.
“Premier Coal has committed to continue to support the programme in the 2016 school year.”
Mr Rickards said claims the company looked to hire from outside of Collie were “false and ridiculous”.
“Our hiring standards continue to be determined by a commitment to employing the right people with the necessary skills and attitudes required to build an efficient and safe operation,” he said.
“Premier is committed to the Collie region and sources the majority of its workforce from Collie and the surrounding areas.
“We do not have specific employment quotas and do not discriminate via geographic location, race, gender or religious beliefs.”
