NSW coal workers end strike
Rail, Tram and Bus Union members walked off the job at noon on Friday at the company's coal divisions in the New South Wales Hunter and Illawarra regions.
The union had been negotiating with Pacific National for more than a year, and eight months have passed since the old enterprise bargaining agreement expired. The industrial action by 800 staff, including train drivers and terminal operators, ended at noon on Sunday.
Pacific National, a subsidiary of transport infrastructure company Asciano, wants the dispute taken to Fair Work Australia but the union opposes this.
Pacific National coal director David Irwin said the strike had harmed the coal industry. "Our offer of consent arbitration remains on the table and we cannot understand why, in an environment where we are already seeing extensive job losses and mine closures amongst our customers, the [union] is steadfastly refusing to accept what is a sure way to bring a quick end to this dispute," Mr Irwin said in a statement.
The union's national secretary, Bob Nanva, accused the company of forcing it to take industrial action, leading to a rally outside Pacific National's Newcastle site.
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Hundreds of coal haulage workers staged a 48-hour strike at Pacific National, with Rail, Tram and Bus Union members walking off the job at noon on Friday and returning at noon on Sunday, disrupting coal divisions in New South Wales' Hunter and Illawarra regions.
The industrial action lasted 48 hours, beginning at noon on Friday and ending at noon on Sunday.
About 800 staff participated, including train drivers and terminal operators, who are members of the Rail, Tram and Bus Union working in Pacific National's coal divisions.
The strike followed more than a year of negotiations; the old enterprise bargaining agreement expired eight months earlier and the parties remain in dispute over the replacement, with the company seeking consent arbitration and the union opposing it.
Pacific National's coal director, David Irwin, said the strike harmed the coal industry, noting the company offered consent arbitration and warning about existing job losses and mine closures among its customers.
The union's national secretary, Bob Nanva, accused Pacific National of forcing industrial action and the dispute led to a rally outside Pacific National's Newcastle site.
Pacific National is described as Australia's largest private rail freight company and a subsidiary of the transport infrastructure company Asciano.
Investors should follow the outcome of the enterprise bargaining talks and any moves toward consent arbitration, monitor the risk of further industrial action affecting coal freight, and watch signs of disruption to customers such as ongoing job losses and mine closures mentioned by the company.
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