Cessnock workers robbed

by Jules Andrews

Two hundred and fifty mine workers at the Southland colliery in Cessnock 
are owed $9 million in wages and entitlements after the collapse of mining 
contract company Colrok on January 10.

Another of Colrok's largest creditors is the CFMEU, which owns a half share 
in the labour supply company Unite mining Support services (UMSS).

UMSS has been supplying between 30 and 60 miners a week to the Southland 
colliery, but claims they have not been paid since October.

"We were paying our blokes but not getting anything back", says UMSS 
managing director Dick Maclean.

Meanwhile the CFMEU has promised to do everything in its power to find a 
solution and has promised to fight tooth and nail to preserve its members' 
earnings.

CFMEU District President Mick Watson has even warned of another "Oakdale-
style" national campaign, if that's what is needed.

Bob Carr, who happily took the spotlight to reopen the mine in 1999, has 
ruled out any state government intervention in the mine closure.

"It is an economic equation in which the views of the NSW Government don't 
count", Mr Carr said.

The Government does hold the future of another 1000 coal miners in its 
hands. It announced late last year it was again looking at privatising 
Powercoal, a subsidiary of the state-owned Pacific Power.

The Government is currently preparing a position paper on the 
privatisation, and has promised to distribute a copy to all employees.

CFMEU Federal Secretary John Maitland has stated that job security for its 
members is the highest priority.

"When (the Government's) options come out, they will all be examined", he 
said.

Other closures

The Southland Colliery closure is the latest in a string of high profile 
company collapses on the NSW Central Coast that have left workers battling 
for entitlements.

A receiver was appointed at Steel Tank And Pipe in November last year, with 
its 226 employees left fighting for $3.3 million.

That figure is dwarfed beside National Textiles, which went into voluntary 
administration in January 2000. Its 342 employees were left high and dry 
for $11.2 million however they were fortunate to have Stan Howard, brother 
of Prime Minister John, on their board of directors.

Keen to keep embarrassing revelations to the minimum, the Federal 
Government pulled a rabbit out of the hat to come up with $6.5 million for 
its employees.