COLLIE community members travelled by bus to join union members to rally outside the Fair Work Commission in Perth on Tuesday morning, as the Australian Manufacturing Workers’ Union (AMWU) appealed the decision to cancel the Griffin Coal Maintenance Enterprise Agreement.
The AMWU appealed the decision and asked the commission to issue a stay order preventing the workers' wages being cut by 43 per cent and reverting back to the old enterprise agreement on July 10.
The stay application was successful while the commission has reserved its decision on the appeal.
Negotiations will recommence on Tuesday when the the union and Griffin Coal representatives will meet to discuss the current situation.
AMWU State Secretary Steve McCartney said the decision to cut workers pay would cripple the local Collie economy, and was a green light for management to inflict the financial burden of their poor business decisions onto innocent workers and families.
“It is not in the public interest to rip away 43 per cent of the income of a significant number of workers and their families in the Collie and local South-West communities,” he said.
“Lanco owned Griffin Coal is one of the worst-run businesses I’ve ever seen, and we refuse to accept that workers and their families should suffer because of this company’s mismanagement.
“Lanco don’t pay their bills, and they’ve been chased by everyone from the Australian Taxation Office, to local earthmoving contractors and the local hardware store, and we won’t accept that somehow our members should pay for that.
“Our members routinely bring their own basic equipment and supplies such as light globes and safety gear to work, and many times over the years have been paid late and worked for free to keep the mine running.”
Mr McCartney said the economic situation in Collie required compromise from both sides, but the massive pay cut and the roster change offered by the company were totally unacceptable.
“Of course we’re prepared to cooperate and compromise, but to date the very best offer made to our members was a 27 per cent pay cut and six extra hours worked every week for free, with a roster change that would kill local sport and community events on weekends,” he said.
Mr McCartney was also concerned that the decision would set a precedent for any other worker on an Enterprise Agreement in Australia.
Member for Collie-Preston Mick Murray MLA said the decision was not just based on the impact of wages.
“This is not a wage issue entirely by itself, this is an issue about a small community, 9000 people will be impacted, and jobs down the line will be impacted by this decision,” he said.
“It’s the wrong decision and it’s a decision that should have never been made.”
