Gordonstone miners win jobs back

By Bill Mason

BRISBANE -- Giant coalmining multinational ARCO has suffered a setback following an Australian Industrial Relations Commission order on August 26 that it reinstate sacked miners at the Gordonstone mine, near Emerald in central Queensland.

The precedent-setting decision by commissioner Errol Hodder is a blow against the federal government's attempt to break unions' strength in key industrial areas. It follows a long battle over ARCO's move to rehire non-union labour at Gordonstone after sacking its entire 312-person union work force last year.

Hodder stated that no fair-minded person could contemplate sacking workers and then hire contract labour.

ARCO was ordered to re-employ in order of length of service, thereby protecting the Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union's “last on, first off” rule.

ARCO has lodged an appeal with the full bench of the AIRC.

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