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Category: Industrial Relations / Unions

Workers protest against pay cut ahead of WA commission hearing

Tuesday, 5 Jul 2016 11:37:59 | David Weber

Protestors outside the Fair Work Commission in Perth. (ABC News: David Weber)

About 100 people have rallied outside the Fair Work Commission (FWC) in Perth ahead of a hearing on a pay cut for some workers at the Griffin Coal mine in Collie.

Last month the FWC agreed to an application by the company to terminate the existing maintenance agreement, which covers about 70 workers.

This means the workers' contracts would revert to award conditions, and under the Black Coal Award their pays would be cut by 43 per cent.

The Manufacturing Workers' Union has called on the full bench of the FWC to put a stay on the order, which is set to take effect in five days.

AMWU state secretary Steve McCartney addresses the rally in Perth. Photo: The AMWU's Steve McCartney addresses the Perth protest. (ABC News: David Weber)

It is also appealing against the original decision.

The union's state secretary Steve McCartney told the crowd the pay cut would have a major impact on Collie.

"We've got a company here that are talking to workers about [having] to make concessions," he said.

"These workers did try to make concessions, the company laughed at 'em, said, 'not enough'.

"They go into the commission, their answer is, 'go back to the award. Send 'em back to 1986 wages'."

The member for Collie-Preston Mick Murray said the effect on the community would be devastating.

"This is not a wage issue entirely by itself, this is an issue about a small community. Nine thousand people that will be impacted like you've never seen," he said.

"Jobs down the line such as McDonalds, the shoe shop, the veggie shop will all be impacted by this decision.

"It's the wrong decision, it's a decision that should've never ever been made and probably one of the worst in my years in industrial law that I've seen."

Mr Murray said other employers were watching the case closely, and Mr McCartney said other companies were already referring to it.

"Every company we're talking to at the moment that are negotiating wages and conditions is trying to use this as a lever to drag down hard earned, hard fought wages and conditions all round Western Australia," he said.

"This is the tip of the iceberg."

A banner painted by protestors calling for no pay cuts for workers at the Griffin Coal Mine. Photo: Protestors are calling for the workers' current wages to be maintained. (ABC News: David Weber)

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