News

Court should throw the book at Pike River Coal

Thu, 18 Apr 2013 00:00:00 +1200

The EPMU has welcomed the Greymouth District Court's decision to find Pike River Coal Ltd guilty of serious health and safety breaches and is calling for the sentencing judge to impose the maximum penalty.

EPMU assistant national secretary Ged O'Connell says the sentencing judge should throw the book at Pike River Coal.

"It's a matter of public record that the people running Pike River Coal put production over the safety of their workforce, leading directly to the deaths of 29 men.

"This is the most serious breach of our workplace health and safety laws in at least a generation and the sentence must reflect the gravity of the crime. We would expect to see no less than the maximum fine levelled, as well as reparations for the families of the 29 miners."

Mr O'Connell says the case also shows the need for changes to the law.

"The reality is Pike River Coal is now little more than a shell company that's now in receivership. The accountability must lie with the directors and management who actually made the decisions.

"Pike River Coal's directors should not be able to hide behind shabby legal structures and carry on as if nothing ever happened. It's time we had corporate manslaughter laws and personal liability for directors so we can hold those responsible accountable for their actions.

"New Zealand's miners and their families also need to see the recommendations of the Pike River Royal Commission implemented as soon as possible and we encourage the Government to carry on its good work putting this into action."

ENDS

For more information contact:

Ged O'Connell, EPMU assistant national secretary: 027 532 8152
Neale Jones, EPMU communications director: 027 276 5146

Solid Energy bailout must protect communities

Fri, 22 Feb 2013 00:00:00 +1300

Talk of a Government bailout of Solid Energy is welcome, but must not come at the cost of devastating mining communities, says the union for miners, the EPMU.

EPMU national secretary Ged O'Connell says communities on the West Coast and the Waikato are looking to the Government to provide assurances on their future.

"Solid Energy's financial problems are serious and it's right for the Government to be talking about a bailout. This is a strategic asset and it is too important to our economy and to the wellbeing of mining communities to be allowed to fail.

"We believe Solid Energy can be a viable business. Coal prices go up and down, and a responsible management team will prepare for a rainy day. Solid Energy's current woes are a result of some very poor decisions by management and a culture of excess at the top.

"We also can't ignore the role of the high New Zealand dollar in making it even harder for Solid Energy to compete internationally.

"The Government was more than happy to take heavy dividends from Solid Energy when the times were good. It needs to recognise that Solid Energy's mines are more than a cash cow, they're the economic lifeline for thousands of working families.

"The West Coast and Huntly have taken a hammering over the last couple of years and there's only so much these communities can be expected to take. If the Government can bail out finance companies to protect investors then it can step in now to protect working Kiwis and their families."

ENDS

For more information contact:

Ged O'Connell, EPMU assistant national secretary: 027 532 8152
Neale Jones, EPMU communications director: 027 276 5146

EPMU welcomes Pike River implementation plan

Wed, 12 Dec 2012 00:00:00 +1300

The EPMU is welcoming the Pike River implementation plan released today by the Government today.

EPMU assistant national secretary Ged O'Connell says the plan is good news for miners and their families.

"Mine safety is a matter of life and death for our members, so we are pleased to see the Government recognises the importance of implementing the Royal Commission's recommendations without reservation or delay.

"This plan is comprehensive, it's inclusive and we believe it provides a positive framework for getting the decisions right. The involvement of stakeholders is encouraging and we would like to see unions and the community consulted on all recommendations.

"The decision to widen the scope of the recommendations to include opencast mining is sensible and shows the lessons of Pike River apply in other high hazard industries and indeed for health and safety in New Zealand generally.

"The makeup of the expert reference group on mining safety and regulation is also welcome, as it includes significant expertise from Queensland, which has world's best practice in mine safety.

"The EPMU looks forward to working with the Government to implement the Royal Commission's recommendations."

The EPMU is the union for New Zealand miners and has been campaigning for improved mine safety since the 1990s.

ENDS

For more information contact:

Ged O'Connell, EPMU assistant national secretary: 027 532 8152
Neale Jones, EPMU communications director: 027 276 5146

Pike River directors' comments disgraceful

Wed, 21 Nov 2012 00:00:00 +1300

The Engineering, Printing and Manufacturing Union says attempts by the former directors of Pike River Coal to shift responsibility for the tragedy onto their underlings is disgraceful and shows the need for stronger mine safety laws.

In a statement issued by their laywers, former directors John Dow, Ray Meyer and Stuart Nattrass deny the Royal Commission's findings that the company put production ahead of safety and attempt to blame the former health and safety officer for their failings.

EPMU assistant national secretary Ged O'Connell says the former directors' refusal to accept they are accountable shows the need for stronger mine safety laws.

"For these three men to refuse to accept any responsibility for the 29 men who died under their watch and then to try to sheet home blame to the people below them is simply disgraceful.

"There is no doubt Pike River Coal Ltd put production ahead of safety, and the Royal Commission report gives numerous concrete examples of this happening. The former directors' claims are simply not supported by the evidence.

"The lack of accountability from those at the top is unfortunate and in our view shows the need for a corporate manslaughter charge to focus their minds on the consequences of their actions as directors.

"The Pike River Inquiry heard repeatedly how the company these men ran refused to listen to workers, excluded the union at every opportunity and created a culture where workers learned not to speak out for fear of being disciplined."

Mr O'Connell says the former directors' attempts to shift the blame to those below them shows why companies can't be left to manage health and safety on their own.

"These out of touch comments are a perfect example of why we need stronger mining regulations, an independent and well-resourced mines inspectorate and worker-elected check inspectors. Companies like Pike River Coal Ltd simply can't be trusted to put safety first."

The EPMU's submission to the Pike River Royal Commission is available here:
http://www.epmu.org.nz/assets/Health-and-Safety/EPMU-submission.pdf

ENDS

For more information contact:

Ged O'Connell, EPMU assistant national secretary: 027 532 8152
Neale Jones, EPMU communications director: 027 276 5146

Miners' union mourns Pike River 29

Mon, 19 Nov 2012 00:00:00 +1300

The EPMU will host a public memorial in Blackball this evening together with the local community to commemorate the two year anniversary of the Pike River tragedy.

The memorial will take place from 6pm at the Blackball Workers' Museum.

EPMU assistant national secretary Ged O'Connell says:

"This evening's service is about honouring the 29 men who died at Pike River. We will stand with the families and with the local community and we will mourn this loss together.

"We acknowledge the efforts of the families to recover the bodies of their loved ones and we will continue to support the recovery in any way we can.

"But while we mourn for the dead, we must also fight for the living.

"The Royal Commission's report shows this tragedy was avoidable, and our union will continue to campaign for the report's recommendations to be implemented in full.

"If we are to truly honour the memory of the Pike River 29 then we must ensure this is never allowed to happen again."

ENDS

For more information contact:

Ged O'Connell, EPMU assistant national secretary: 027 532 8152
Neale Jones, EPMU communications director: 027 276 5146

EPMU welcomes Pike River report

Mon, 05 Nov 2012 00:00:00 +1300

The Engineering, Printing and Manufacturing welcomes the Pike River Royal Commission report and is encouraging the Government to implement the changes as soon as possible.

EPMU assistant national secretary Ged O'Connell says the report should mark a turning point for mine safety in New Zealand.

"This report is a damning indictment of New Zealand's deregulated health and safety regime. Pike River Coal Ltd should never have been allowed to operate in the way it did, and in other countries it wouldn't have been allowed to.

"The report makes clear that the tragic loss of life at Pike River could have been prevented with stronger regulations, an independent and well-resourced mine safety inspectorate and genuine worker involvement in health and safety.

"We hope the failings exposed in this report spell the end of the deregulated health and safety regime of the last 20 years. This vindicates the union's repeated calls for improvements in mine safety and for the reintroduction of check inspectors."

Mr O'Connell says the union supports the Royal Commission's recommendations.

"The recommendations in this report are exactly what our union has been calling for. If implemented, they will bring New Zealand's mine safety regime up to international standards.

"We are particularly pleased so see the re-introduction of worker-elected check inspectors, a strong focus on strengthening mine safety regulations and the creation of a new Crown agency to monitor health and safety.

"We hope the Government will implement the report's recommendations as soon as possible. If the 29 men who lie in the mine are not to have died in vain then these recommendations must be implemented without delay and without reservation."

ENDS

For more information contact:

Ged O'Connell, EPMU assistant national secretary: 027 532 8152
Neale Jones, EPMU communications director: 027 276 5146

Low Pike River fine sends wrong signal

Fri, 26 Oct 2012 00:00:00 +1300

The $46,000 fine imposed on VLI Drilling in Greymouth today for its failures at the Pike River mine is shockingly low, says the miners' union, the EPMU.

The company faced a potential fine of $750,000 over three charges relating to its failure to take all practicable steps to protect its employees' health and safety at the mine.

VLI, a subsidiary of Sydney-based Valley Longwall International, had Josh Ufer, 25, Ben Rockhouse, 21, and Joseph Dunbar, 17, down the mine at the time of the fatal explosion on November 19, 2010. It was Joseph Dunbar's first day at work.

EPMU Director of Organising Alan Clarence says the shockingly low fine sends the wrong signal.

"The EPMU shares the concerns of the Pike River families over the low level of the fine. This sends the wrong message to companies looking to cut corners on health and safety and is particularly concerning given the loss of life at the mine.

"VLI essentially contracted out its health and safety checks to Pike River, abdicating its most basic responsibilities as an employer.

"Everyone wants to duck responsibility for what happened in the mine. Pike River was contracted to carry out the safety checks but VLI should have ensured that the tests had been completed.

"This is what happens when companies try to devolve their responsibility to provide a safe workplace by contracting out, and the result is New Zealand's unacceptably high rate of workplace deaths and injuries.

"The Government needs to ensure this kind of employment practice is not allowed again. It can do this by introducing worker-elected check inspectors to ensure safety checks are being done, and by strengthening the law to ensure companies cannot contract out of their health and safety responsibilities.

"We will be arguing strongly for these changes in the Government's current health and safety review and the upcoming Pike River Royal Commission report."

Mr Clarence also expressed disbelief that the court did not allow the families to give victim impact statements.

ENDS

For more information contact:

Alan Clarence, EPMU Director of Organising: 027 548 2434
Neale Jones, EPMU communications director: 027 276 5146

Solid Energy and the Government have failed Greymouth

Thu, 25 Oct 2012 00:00:00 +1300

Solid Energy and the Government have failed the workers at Spring Creek mine and dealt a devastating blow to their community, says the miners' union, the EPMU.

The call follows Solid Energy's confirmation of around 220 redundancies at a staff meeting in Dunollie this afternoon.

The EPMU's West Coast organiser, Garth Elliott, says the miners and their community feel they have been let down by the company and the Government.

"Each of these redundancies represents a family losing its livelihood and in many cases being forced to leave the West Coast in search of work. For many families their only choice will be to join the exodus of skilled workers heading overseas.

"Our members have a right to feel angry about how they've been treated. From very early on it was clear to us that management had made up its mind and none of our proposals changed that.

"When we went to the Government to present an alternative plan they refused to even look at it. Instead of stepping up to help the people of Greymouth, we saw the same hands-off approach from this Government that's killing jobs and devastating communities all over New Zealand.

"This is a very sad day for mining families and for a community that's having the economic life sucked out of it. If there's any consolation, it's that union members and the whole Greymouth community put up a fight they can be proud of."

All union members at Spring Creek are covered by a redundancy package as part of their collective employment agreement.

ENDS

For more information contact:

Garth Elliott, EPMU West Coast organiser: 027 590 0084
Neale Jones, EPMU communications director: 027 276 5146

Miners to meet with Minister at 12 today

Tue, 25 Sep 2012 00:00:00 +1200

Miners from Solid Energy's Spring Creek and Huntly East mines are on their way to Wellington to make a plea to the Government to save their mines and their communities.

There are a dozen miners coming up from Greymouth and another seven travelling down from Huntly.

The miners will arrive at Parliament around 11.30 and a delegation will meet State Owned Enterprises Minister Tony Ryall at 12.

Spring Creek and Huntly East miners are available for interview.

ENDS

For more information contact:

Neale Jones, EPMU communications director: 027 276 5146

Fears for future of Huntly East coal mine

Fri, 21 Sep 2012 00:00:00 +1200

Miners at Huntly East are warning the mine could be forced to stop operating within two years if Solid Energy goes ahead with plans to make 120 redundancies and cancel the mine ventilation project.

The call comes ahead of a Solid Energy board meeting today, which is expected to confirm the company's proposal.

Without the new ventilation system the mine will not be able to expand and will quickly run out of accessible coal deposits, putting the future of the entire mine at risk.

EPMU assistant national secretary Ged O'Connell says miners fear Solid Energy is gambling with the future of the mine in the pursuit of short-term savings.

"Solid Energy has presented these redundancies as a simple reduction of headcount at the mine but what they're actually doing is cutting the ventilation project needed to ensure the future of the mine, and that puts everyone's jobs at risk.

"This is a big mine and it's got to have a regulated amount of air coming in to allow miners to work and to avoid explosions. Without proper ventilation Huntly East won't be able to expand and that could mean curtains within two years.

"This would have huge downstream effects on the Glenbrook steel mill, which needs a continuous supply of high grade Huntly coal to operate. Without this supply there are real questions over the future of Glenbrook too.

"Our members are obviously deeply concerned about the future of the mine and feel as though Solid Energy's pulling the rug out from under them.

"It's crucial that Solid Energy considers the long-term future of the mine and the impact on the community, and we'll be asking the Government that it does the same."

ENDS

For more information contact:

Ged O'Connell, EPMU assistant national secretary: 027 532 8152
Neale Jones, EPMU communications director: 027 276 5146