Griffin maintenance workers have entered their tenth week of protected industrial action over ongoing negotiations regarding workers conditions at the mine.
Arbitration is continuing between workers and the company, with workers stating a decision won’t seem likely until December at the earliest. Workers have said the main concern was about the new conditions being offered with many saying they would be happy to take the pay cut but don’t want to sacrifice current working conditions.
The current Griffin industrial stoppage has claimed the title of the longest running Collie coalfields dispute since the Scottish Colliery strike of 1911.
Workers who are engaged in the protected industrial action have been without pay during the duration of the action and the Australian Manufacturing Workers’ Union have set up a ‘Collie Fighting Fund’ to help support the workers financially.
Union State Secretary Steve McCartney said the union were putting every effort into trying to get to an outcome that was amicable for all parties.
“If the company keeps pushing back in the way that they are and being unreasonable about real suggestions going forward, then it’s going to leave us no other option than to force the adoption, and that’s what we have been working against,” he said.
Mr McCartney spoke of the company’s decision to employ contractors to work in the roles of those who are out taking protected industrial action.
“If I was a contract worker I probably wouldn’t want to take someone else’s job,” he said. “All those blokes that are working contract for that job at the moment, all they are doing is making the people out the front’s work harder, because the company doesn’t feel any pressure.”
“The company are using those people because it’s a tool to make sure this thing doesn’t get fixed, and to put more pressure on the workers out the front.”
Member for Collie-Preston Mick Murray said the ongoing negotiations threatened Collie’s sustainability.
“It has been a long nine weeks for the workers and our community who have seen this dispute threaten our livelihoods and the sustainability of our community,” he said.
“I urge all sides to come together and negotiate in good faith in the interests of finding a solution to end this.”
Griffin were contacted for comment but did respond prior to publication.
