July 6, 2007

Solid Energy PR stunt sparks protest

The Engineering, Printing and Manufacturing Union says Solid Energy’s release of false information about its employees’ wage rates is a desperate PR stunt unworthy of a publicly owned company.

The company’s actions sparked protest this morning, with more than a hundred striking coal miners holding a picket in Greymouth where they presented their contracts and pay slips to the local paper to set the record straight.

The protest comes as Spring Creek and Terrace miners enter their eighth day of indefinite strike action, part of a nationwide industrial dispute involving more than 800 coal miners employed by Solid Energy and its contractors.

EPMU Acting National Secretary Ged O’Connell says he’s disappointed by Solid Energy’s behaviour.

“Even after the events of the last week, I thought Solid Energy had a bit more respect for its workers than to try and undermine them through a desperate PR stunt like this.

“Our members do hard and dirty work every day in an industry that’s making very healthy profits, and all they’re asking for is a pay rise that reflects this.

“Solid Energy needs to come back to us with a decent pay offer and stop wasting taxpayers’ money on high-priced spin doctors who can’t even get their facts right. The only people earning exorbitant wages at Solid Energy are working in management.”

ENDS

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