About 450 workers at Tahmoor underground mine in NSW are off work on full pay after SIMEC halted operations for four weeks due to financial pressure, the Mining and Energy Union said today.
The MEU welcomes the decision by SIMEC to retain their workforce in the current circumstances where the company's financial position has affected supply of equipment to the mine. The workforce includes approximately 150 direct employees and 300 employees of contractor RStar.
"The workforce at Tahmoor are skilled and loyal; and the company is doing the right thing by retaining them as they address their current financial challenges," said MEU South West District Secretary Andy Davey.
"We are confident that operations will resume within weeks. Tahmoor is a mine with high quality steel-making coal and an excellent track record of efficient and profitable operations. We believe the mine has a strong future.
"Our members were taken by surprise by the news that the operations would be halted and they would rather be at work earning their money; however they remain on full pay with their jobs secure until production restarts."
