Workers at Collie’s Griffin Coal mine have entered into their third week of protests over ongoing contract negotiations against changes to workers’ conditions at the coal company.
The three weeks of action has come after a 24 hour protest held in June and a further protest to mark one year from a decision by the Fair Work Commission that saw maintenance workers receive a substantial pay cut and shifts change to seven days on and three days off and seven nights on and four days off.
A ‘Collie Fighting Fund’ has been set up by the Australian Manufacturing Workers Union to help the workers who have been impacted financially.
The current protests being undertaken by Griffin workers are over protected industrial action.
The protests mark over two years of ongoing contact negotiations between workers and Griffin Coal.
In May, the Indian owners of the mining giant Lanco Infratech announced the company had gone into receivership.
Lanco Infratech Limited made the announcement in a statement released to the Indian stock exchange.
Workers from both Griffin Coal Mine and Premier Coal came together in July for a meeting to voice their concerns over the proposed draft agreement which covered the 170 production workers at Griffin.
The draft agreement was later voted down by workers at the mine.
A spokesperson from Griffin Coal had previously commented on the impacts on the workforce after the termination of Griffin Coal Maintenance Enterprise Agreement last year.
“Griffin Coal acknowledges that the current situation is a difficult time for its employees and their families. No business can continue making large losses indefinitely. The mine is not financially sustainable operating as it is,” they said.
A spokesperson for Griffin Coal said Griffin remains engaged in the bargaining process through the meetings conducted with the assistance of the Fair Work Commission. Griffin continues to be available to negotiate an agreement to address the financial sustainability of the business.
