Australia beckons Pike River miners

Pike River Coal mine near Greymouth Photo / supplied

Up to 50 redundant Pike River Coal mine employees could soon be crossing the Tasman to take up lucrative positions in Australian pits.

Numerous Australian mining companies have been to the West Coast recently trying to tempt the miners into full migration, while others are offering to fly workers back to Christchurch for a nine-day break at the end of a broken 15-day shift.

One Greymouth man taking up the "fly-in, fly-out" option at a New South Wales mine, Michael Flanagan, said the offer was too good to refuse.

"Ordinary miners like me are getting $120,000 a year, with food and accommodation paid for and free flights either way," he said.

"We will work seven day shifts, have one day off, work seven nights and then get flown back to Christchurch. With one day either side for travel, we will still have seven days at home."

Flanagan said he was one of four taking up the option with a mine close to Sydney, while others were bound for other mines throughout Australia.

"About 50 of us sat medicals and provided our CVs for a recruitment company about a week ago. I start on January 17."

Engineering, Printing and Manufacturing Union delegate Jed O'Connell said the high number of West Coast coal miners accepting jobs in Australia was not surprising.

"The bonuses they got from Pike might have kept the wolf away from the door until about now, but they will be needing work soon."

O'Connell said the union had negotiated for other West Coast employers to take on about a dozen former Pike River staff, and the only other option was relocation to Waikato, where Solid Energy had a number of positions available at its Huntly Mine.

However, Solid Energy's remuneration packages would struggle to match the Aussie offers.

Grey District Mayor Tony Kokshoorn today supported the fly-in, fly-out option as the lesser of two evils.

"I understand that one Pike miner has arranged for his entire shift of 14 to fly in and out of the Hunter Valley (and back to the West Coast) for a fortnight on and fortnight off basis, but I have not been able to confirm that," he said.

"That way we still have the families on the Coast and the money will be spent here while we press for more employment opportunities for them here."

Kokshoorn said he would continue to urge the Government to open-cast the beleaguered Pike River Mine.

"Even if that's two years away, if they knew it was happening it would give the guys travelling to and from Australia a target. They will not be able to keep that schedule up forever, but if it's only a year or two they might.

"However, I'm not surprised so many have accepted jobs overseas. Like all of us, they have to put bread and butter on the table and if the only way they can do that is by working in Australia, good on them."

- NZPA