PN bullying campaign

PN Coal members recently received a letter from the company, threatening to slowly drop its wage offer if members don’t agree with the company’s EA deal.

The letter stated that if agreement was not reached by 31 Jan, the wage offer would drop to 3 per cent. It would then drop to 2.5 per cent if an agreement was not reached by 28 Feb.

It also threatens that back pay will be “immediately and permanently retracted” if any protected industrial action sis taken.

PN Coal members recently voted overwhelming against the company’s deal and are now currently voting in a protected industrial action ballot.

Loco Division Secretary Bob Hayden said the letter and the company’s negotiation with the union and employees to date is a disgraceful attempt at bullying employees into voting in favour of an inferior EA.

“This letter is nothing short of a bullying tactic by management and a disgraceful attempt at genuine negotiation with its employees,” Bob Hayden said.

“The membership voted overwhelmingly against the company’s offer, yet it seems PN management think they can just bully us into submission.

“Members at PN Coal deserve an agreement that provides for fair wages and conditions – and they shouldn’t settle for anything less.

“The company’s letter suggests that for the benefit of their family, the company and the broader public, they should just roll over and sacrifice their fair wages and conditions. It’s absolutely ridiculous and downright disgraceful.

“We want fair and reasonable negotiation – and that doesn’t mean giving us timelines by which we need to agree to their terms. It means genuine negotiation until we reach an agreement both parties are happy with.

“PN Coal workers are currently voting in the protected industrial action ballot and we’re confident and hopeful members will vote ‘yes’. No one wants to have to take protected industrial action, but the company has left us with no choice but to ask the membership what they’re willing to do to get a fair go.”

The protected industrial action ballot closes on the 18^th January.