Employees, the union and Peabody have agreed to a new enterprise agreement at Helensburgh’s Metropolitan Mine. Photo: Peabody.
Striking Helensburgh miners have agreed to a new enterprise agreement which will deliver pay rises of five per cent a year and end a six-week dispute.
On Wednesday (13 August) the majority of Mining and Energy Union (MEU) members at Peabody’s Metropolitan Mine endorsed the new deal, which they say addresses workers’ key concerns about protecting job security and winning real pay increases.
A Peabody spokesperson said employees returned to work after the company, employees and union reached an in-principle agreement on the company’s final offer on 31 July.
“On 12 August, employees voted in favour of the offer and the company will now lodge the new agreement with the Fair Work Commission (FWC) for approval,” the spokesperson said.
MEU South West District vice president Mark Jenkins said the result was a testament to the unity and determination of the miners to secure an acceptable deal for their families and community.
“Peabody leant hard on the MEU members at Metropolitan, but they stood firm to win this new agreement,” he said.
“Peabody’s lockout of MEU members was disgraceful, but in the end it only strengthened the resolve of the miners.
“Our members have again shown that the best and only way to stand up to the hardball tactics of mining multinationals is to stand together through their union.
“Congratulations to the workers for being clear about what their priorities [are] and holding firm to achieve them.”
The new agreement locks in pay increases of five per cent per year over the three-year term of the agreement.
The agreement also maintains job security protections, with a commitment from Peabody to increase the directly employed workforce of the mine to full manning levels before using contractors beyond ancillary works.
Negotiations between the miners and the US-based multinational broke down in mid-June when Peabody locked out workers for three weeks after miners undertook work stoppages.
In response, MEU members held rolling strike actions and formed a picket at the entrance of the mine, which was lifted upon reaching an in-principle deal.
Helensburgh site delegate Matt Potter said the dispute wasn’t easy for the workers, but it was worthwhile to protect their job security.
“Being locked out and then on strike put significant financial strain on many of our members, but we knew that now was the time to stand up for the principle of job security in the coal industry,” he said.
“I’m immensely proud of the unity and strength of the Helensburgh lodge during this difficult time, and how we stood up for our rights and conditions against Peabody’s onslaught.
“I’m glad that we’re returning to work and can get back to what we do best – cutting coal.”
