Port Waratah Coal Services employees will continue industrial action today and tomorrow.
The action at the Rio Tinto subsidiary will take place between 8pm and 4am, following a dispute over a workplace agreement.
MUA Newcastle branch secretary Glen Williams said PWCS continues to have an anti-worker approach during negotiations.
“The company needs to finally understand that these workers will not break. It’s time the company came back to the table and ceased its campaign to wind back the rights of its employees”, he said.
However spokesperson, Paul Chamberlin refuted claims the company is being disagreeable. “PWCS has more than 200 union
members, has always had a good relationship with them, and is not acting in any way which could reasonably be perceived as anti-union or against the
principle of collective bargaining”, he said.
“We have had two periods of negotiation with representatives of the five
unions – Tuesday and Thursday this week – with more expected next week
after this weekend’s industrial action. Those negotiations have been
productive so far, conducted in good spirit, and significant progress has
been made”.
PWCS said no further industrial action has been notified, and is hopeful towards nearing an agreement.
