Miners to return after talks agreed

Nearly 1000 miners will return to work tomorrow after three-and-a-half weeks of picket lines outside Solid Energy's Rotowaro open cast and Huntly East underground mines.

The industrial dispute began after talks broke down on a new multi-employer collective agreement (Meca), and Solid Energy contractors HWE Mining, a subsidiary of Australian contracting giant Leighton Contractors, locked out the Rotowaro miners due to a "go slow" and overtime ban.

South Island miners from Stockton and Westport joined the Engineering, Printing and Manufacturing Union-supported strike two weeks ago, but yesterday the miners voted to return to work for two days from 6am tomorrow.

EPMU national mining adviser Ray Urquhart said the union had met Solid Energy and the Mining Industry Council earlier in the week and put together a plan to allow a joint Meca negotiation for both Rotowaro and Huntly East mines.

He said the negotiations would restart at 8.30am tomorrow.

Having been previously criticised by Solid Energy chief operating officer Barry Bragg for insisting the negotiations start before the miners returned to work, Mr Urquhart said they were returning as a sign of their "good faith".

On Monday morning there will be a stop-work meeting for union members to asses what progress was made over the weekend.

Mr Bragg said the company was pleased the crews were returning to work so negotiations could resume.

- © Fairfax NZ News