Media Release from the AWU
24 September 2009
The union representing stood down workers at Mt Lyell mine in Queenstown is calling tonight for immediate Government assistance for the hundreds of workers affected by the temporary closure of the mine.
The union was briefed by Copper Mines of Tasmania today about the status of the remediation works at the mine site. In that meeting the company was unable to nominate when the mine would re-open.
Nearly 200 underground workers employed at the mine have been forced to take annual or unpaid leave for a month.
AWU Assistant Secretary Robert Flanagan said today that when the original incident occurred on August 24, the expectation was that the disruption to operations would only last a week.
“A significant number of our members are now needing to seek the assistance of social security as they have exhausted their paid leave.”
“Within just a few weeks another 140 workers will be in a similar predicament.”
“Given the seriousness of the situation, our union believes that the Tasmanian Government should offer immediate assistance and disaster relief.”
“Our members need help now and a relief scheme that takes weeks or months to implement is not good enough.”
Mr Flanagan said that the Tasmanian Government had an obligation to offer this immediate assistance, given the significant royalties the mine had generated for the government over an extended period of time.
“We plan to meet with the Acting Treasurer tomorrow afternoon to press our case. If this situation goes on much longer a further 100 surface workers may soon find themselves in the same predicament and the entire community will face great hardship.”
