Hundreds of Coal Miners at New Hope Coal’s New Acland Mine in Queensland readying themselves for protracted strike action in the face of a real wage cut offer by Company Executives, have been further angered after the release of annual financial results.

New Hope Corporation annual results for 2011 reveal company profits are up over 150%, and Executive remuneration skyrocketing up to a massive 50% in the last year alone.

“At a time when profits have jumped over 150% and Company CEO Robert Neale has awarded himself a 50% pay increase, New Hope Coal Miners, who are amongst the lowest paid in the industry - are being offered a real wage cut.” Shane Brunker, Vice President of the Mining and Energy Union said today.

“New Hope Corporation shareholders need to understand the implications of the company’s industrial strategy in trying to implement a real wage cut in the form of a miserly 2% pay rise when CPI is running at 3.6%.” Mr Brunker said

“In the middle of a mining industry skills shortage, the companies WorkChoices mindset just doesn’t make sense for the business and employees are ready for significant action for the first time in their history.” He said.

Mr Brunker said New Hope Coal (New Hope Corporation Limited) is attempting to keep WorkChoices era industrial practices at their Mine Site, where New Acland Miners are still trying to dig their way out of condition cutting 5 year individual contracts.

“New Acland is a prime example of the effect WorkChoices is still having on the income and conditions of employment of working families, many employees are stuck on 5 year AWA’s and have substandard conditions to the rest of the Coal Industry.” He said.

After 10 months of negotiations for a collective agreement, New Hope Coal (owner of the New Acland Mine west of Ipswich in Queensland) has offered employees a real wage cut at time of unprecedented expansion and investment in the coal industry in Queensland.

“New Hope Executives appear to be lining their pockets at the same time as they are digging deeper and deeper into the pockets of their workers, in a bid to squeeze every last dollar from them.” Mr Brunker said.

“These results reveal just how disgraceful the Company’s approach has been to their workforce, it’s an appalling way to do business and an appalling way to treat workers and their families.” Mr Brunker said.

The profit results come after 93% of Employees who were entitled to vote on the Company`s proposed agreement sent a resounding rejection to the employer on their tactics and real wage cutting agenda. The Australian Electoral Commission is currently running a Protected Action Ballot which will be completed by the end of the Month under Fair Work Australia provisions.

“New Hope’s real wage and condition cutting agenda is being used to funnel massive increases into million dollar Executive pay packets and employees won’t cop it.” Mr Brunker said.

For Comment: Shane Brunker, Vice President, CFMEU Mining and Energy Union 0419 472 325.p>

Coal Miners at the New Acland Mine near Oaky are gearing up for battle after patiently trying to reach agreement with Management for more than 8 months, Mining and Energy Union Dalby Vice President Shane Brunker said today.

“Negotiations have been dragged out for 8 months now and workers are getting incredibly frustrated at the lack of progress,” Mr Brunker said.

More than 200 people work at the site many of whom are still stuck on a WorkChoices Enterprise Agreement and 5 year AWA`s that stripped pay and conditions.

“All these Workers have been trying to do is get rid of the unfair and unscrupulous Enterprise Agreement and 5 year long AWA individual contracts which placed New Acland Workers at the bottom of the mining industry scrap heap,” Mr Brunker said.

The Mine which is owned and operated by the New Hope Group bore the brunt of the oppressive WorkChoices Legislation during their last round of negotiations and they are still trying to remove remnants of it from their new agreement.

“Our members are committed to reaching agreement, but unless there is more progress our members will have to consider their options in the next few weeks.” He said.

“It is simply not fair to expect these workers to be subject to AWA’s, and be stripped of other basic entitlements years after WorkChoices has been removed from the statute books” Mr Brunker said.

Job Security, termination of existing AWA`s at the employees choice, and improved working conditions are high on the list of priorities for New Acland employees.

“The industry is booming and will continue to expand for many years to come, members are asking for improved working conditions after many basic entitlements were stripped by the Howard Government’s workplace laws,” Mr Brunker said.

Vice President, CFMEU Mining and Energy Union: Shane Brunker 0419 472 325.

An overwhelming majority of Miners from BHP’s 7 BMA Central Queensland Mine operations have voted for the right to take protected industrial action under Fair Work Legislation, after the results of a 2 week-long independent ballot were revealed today.

The ballot comes as negotiations for a replacement enterprise agreement at the world’s most profitable coal mining operations have stalled with the last agreement expiring in mid-May.

“More than 90% of employees voted in this ballot, an extraordinary result for a voluntary vote, and it’s even more startling in the face of BMA’s privacy breaching text message campaign, directed at the family members of Miners during the vote,” CFMEU Mining and Energy Vice President, Steve Pierce said today.

BMA management was forced to issue an apology to employee’s families last week, after misusing next of kin emergency contact details to send text messages to the wives, husbands, mothers and family members of Miners - aimed at discouraging voting in the ballot.

“An overwhelming majority of employees have voted ‘yes’ (92%) to their right to take protected industrial action, if an agreement can’t be reached.” He said.

“This workforce is one of the most productive and committed in the world, helping to deliver world record half year profits of 10.5 billion dollars for BHP in the second half of last year.”

“All our members are asking for in return is to preserve the quality of life of their families through the maintenance of appropriate rosters, getting rid of WorkChoices era practices, the option to live with their families as opposed to travelling enormous distances and importantly; protecting safety and job security.” Mr Pierce said.

Thousands of BMA miners live and work in Central Queensland Mining Communities and regional centres like Mackay, where the company has been trying to force more and more employees onto fly in, fly out work arrangements, which leave them away from their families for extended periods of time.

“FIFO is fine for people who choose that option, and some do, but it should never be forced on a family without choice,” Mr Pierce said.

“Our members are passionate about maintaining decent standards of living for their families and their communities, in the face of an increasingly hard-line employer.”

“There is massive concern amongst the workforce about BMA’s desire for increasingly family unfriendly working conditions and a feeling they are trying to crunch the conditions of workers and their families, despite their world record profits.” He said.

Mr Pierce said negotiations would continue and that members were committed to reaching an agreement with BHP/BMA as soon as possible. “This is not about money for our members, in fact the discussions haven’t even broached that subject yet, this agreement is about preserving quality of life for their families and their communities - in the face of the company’s relentless pursuit of record breaking profits.” Mr Pierce said.

For Comment: Steve Pierce, Vice President, CFMEU Mining and Energy Union 0409 631 513 Further information: 0419 654 936