Coal workers row over measly amount

National’s Industrial Relations spokesman, Wayne Mapp, says it seems absurd that coalmine workers are taking wildcat strike action over what is effectively a measly difference between Solid Energy’s offer and what was asked for.

He says they would be better off asking Labour why they haven’t received a decent tax cut.

According to Solid Energy, the Engineering, Printing and Manufacturing Union is claiming a 25% increase over three years, while Solid Energy is offering a 20% increase over three years, including an immediate 5% increase.

“The workers are striking over what appears to be a measly difference in dollar terms,” says Dr Mapp.

“Workers would have been better off asking Labour why they haven’t received a tax cut, which would put more back in their wallets than strike action, which damages both their pay packets and the wider economy.

“Worse still, there has been a suggestion that the union told workers to strike even before considering Solid Energy’s latest offer.

“Labour expects employers to bargain and work in good faith but it looks like unions can operate under a separate set of rules.

“National predicted this kind of unruly strike action would result from Labour’s new legislation, which gives unions preferential treatment, at considerable cost to the economy.

“National will remove union preference and bring sanity back to industrial law,” says Dr Mapp.

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