200 workers out of a job after Illawarra coal mine closes

ABC NEWS (Australia)

At least 200 people are looking for work after the closure of a coal mine near Wollongong. The Russell Vale mine has been under scrutiny after several underground fires. Unions are now trying to make sure workers receive their full entitlements.

Transcript

00:00 There was no good news for workers summoned to a meeting in the Russell Vale Mine car

00:07 park this morning.

00:08 "The place is closing, they've shut me off the shop."

00:10 "Closing the mine and that's about it."

00:12 Staff say they were told the Indian parent company, Jindal Steel, no longer wanted to

00:16 put money into the operation.

00:18 "It's a sad day for Willawarra, there's a lot of history in this colliery, a lot of

00:23 people and their families have worked here."

00:24 It's not the first time the mine has been closed.

00:26 "This is my second stint, so I got put off in 2014, so I've done 10 years last time,

00:32 and just done another two years and finished again."

00:35 "It's horrible, you've got kids' birthdays and things like that."

00:38 The state's resources regulator placed a prohibition order on the mine last month over

00:43 serious safety concerns involving five underground fires.

00:47 Environment groups have welcomed the closure but are worried about rehabilitating the site

00:52 which sits under Sydney's water catchment.

00:54 The mine's operator has not responded to requests for comment, but unions say they have received

00:59 assurances on pay and conditions.

01:01 "We will work really hard to make sure that all of our members' legal entitlements are

01:07 paid."

01:08 Many workers have already started looking for jobs in the Hunter, Central West and Interstate.

01:14 But unions say it's time people were offered better employment options for their future.

01:19 "The place is closed, they think, 'Oh, well, you're coal mining, you'll get another job

01:22 elsewhere.'

01:23 So there needs to be a better process to retrain and reskill people."

01:27 A process of transition they hope receives more attention.

01:31 [BLANK_AUDIO]

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