Gordonstone miners still `standing tall'

By Bill Mason

BRISBANE -- The miners' union is considering a High Court appeal after the Federal Court ruled on June 25 that, while sacked mineworkers at the Gordonstone mine in central Queensland were entitled to preference of employment, the court had no power to order them reinstated.

The court decided it was unable to overturn a full bench decision of the Australian Industrial Relations Commission, which erred in law by quashing the August decision by AIRC commissioner Errol Hodder that preference of employment be given to 312 miners unfairly sacked by former Gordonstone owner ARCO in October 1997.

Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union national mining division president Tony Maher praised the sacked workers for “standing tall” during the 19-month dispute amid financial hardship and family strain.

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