Curragh pay rise seals the deal
IT TAKES a 17.5% pay rise offer and $9000 bonus to make unionised miners budge in their stance during enterprise agreement negotiations.
Wesfarmers Curragh managed to avoid rolling strikes and bad publicity during EA talks, with union sources confident the latest offering from the company will be voted up by members during a ballot later this month.
Reached under the Single Bargaining Unit banner, the 300 unionised workers will also receive a $9000 bonus simply for signing the document.
Wesfarmers Resources manager corporate affairs and sustainability Kent Beasley said the company was pleased the new EA had been reached with the SBU.
"The new agreement has been made available to the workforce for their consideration of the next week," Mr Beasley said.
"A vote by eligible members will be conducted by the Australian Electoral Commission during (June 25-29).
"Curragh is also pleased that as a result of reaching (the) agreement with the SBU that all protected action planned for this week has now been withdrawn.
"Curragh believes that this new agreement provides employees with industry competitive wages and benefits while ensuring the long term sustainability and growth of the business."
The SBU's gripe with Wesfarmers included mine management setting "unreasonable production targets" which workers could not have met due to adverse circumstances.
