Campaign for Tassie mining community

Date: 27 September 2009

The union representing stood down workers at Mt Lyell mine in Queenstown, Tasmania is gearing up for a national campaign in support of its members affected by the temporary closure of the mine

.
The economic impact of the mines closure is now being felt in Queenstown and many other communities in Tasmania's mining dependent west coast.

Lobbying multinational parent company at UK head office

AWU National Secretary Paul Howes has written to the UK parent company of Copper Mines of Tasmania, Vedanta Resources, requesting the Anglo-Indian mining & metals multinational put stood down workers back on the payroll until the mine can reopen.

Nearly 200 underground miners employed at the mine have been forced to take annual or unpaid leave for a month and a significant number are now seeking the assistance of social security as they have exhausted their paid leave.

The union anticipates that shortly another 140 workers will be in a similar predicament.

Some banks accomodate AWU calls for mortgage relief

The AWU has also written to the nations banks, requesting mortgage relief for affected workers.

To date Westpac and mystate Financial have indicated to the union they will accommodate this request.

Multinational on notice that AWU members patience limited

Mr Howes said today that CMT and its parent Vedanta Resources, has an obligation to its workforce and their community to keep its workers financially solvent.

"I am putting this multinational on notice, we intend mounting a national campaign against them if they continue to stand by whilst their workforce go broke for lack of income."

"Our members and their community have been very patient about their predicament, but our patience has limits."

Tasmanian Gvt called on to ensure Vedanta does the right thing by its workforce

"The AWU intends to throw significant resources into this campaign. If we have to shame CMT and Vedanta into doing the right thing then we will."

"I will be travelling to Tasmania on Monday morning where I will meet with workers from Mt. Lyell, the Mayor of Queenstown and also Tasmanian Premier David Bartlett."

"With the economic impact of the mine's closure now being felt by communities across Tasmania's west coast we think now is the time for the State Government to also lend support to our campaign and get Vedanta to do the right thing by it's workers" Mr. Howes said.

Read earlier AWU statements

• AWU calls for urgent disaster relief for Mt Lyell mine workers

How the media is reporting the Mt Lyell crisis

• Union seeks urgent help for miners (ABC)

• Workers desperate as mine closure drags on (ABC)

• Cash crisis hits mining town ( Hobart Mercury)
  

For further information

Contact:	Andrew Casey
Union:	AWU
Contact Mobile:	0417 054 194
WWW:	http://www.awu.net.au/

LaborNET is proudly created, designed and programmed
by Social Change Online for the Labor Council of NSW
[Credits] [Site Matters]