Strike pressure claim 'nonsense'

A union official has denied a claim that workers at a West Coast mine were pressured into striking because a vote on the industrial action was not confidential.

The wife of a worker at the Stockton opencast mine, near Westport, told the Westport News that miners had felt pressured to go on strike as the issue was voted on by a show of hands rather than a secret ballot.

The woman, whose name was withheld , also criticised Engineering, Printing and Manufacturing Union (EPMU) organisers for continuing to take their pay while workers were on strike.

Ged O'Connell, assistant national secretary of the EPMU, said it was "absolute nonsense" to claim workers had been forced to take the action.

"Absolutely and utterly there was a secret ballot at each mine site," he said.

It was EPMU policy to always have a confidential vote "because it stops this kind of undermining behaviour".

"The notion that somehow officials are sitting in an office and still being paid while urging others to strike is absolute nonsense. An anonymous wife could be the wife of a manager at Solid Energy or one of its contractors," he said.

EPMU workers had continued to be paid, but were often working "twice as hard" during the strike and could make voluntary contributions to a hardship fund for the miners.

About 1000 workers at four Solid Energy sites around New Zealand, including Stockton and the Spring Creek mine, near Greymouth, will return to work at 6am today.

They have voted to go back as negotiations between the EPMU, Solid Energy and its contractors reopen in Hamilton this morning. The union will hold a meeting on Monday to decide what course to take after the weekend talks.

- © Fairfax NZ News