Industrial action at the Savage River iron ore mine will escalate after the mine's operator brought nothing new to the table at negotiations yesterday, says the Australian Workers' Union (AWU) which represents workers at the mine.
Maintenance workers at the mine will now extend their protected industrial action and begin rolling out full shift stoppages over the next 36 hours, commencing this evening.
A meeting with Fair Work Commissioner Lee, the employer (Grange Resources,) and workers yesterday failed to break the deadlock.
The Fair Work Commission has authorised workers on site to take legal industrial action.
AWU Tasmanian Branch Secretary Ian Wakefield says he's never seen a company negotiate in such bad faith.
"Our members are very disappointed they have to take this action simply to achieve a fair outcome," says AWU Tasmanian Branch Secretary Ian Wakefield
"The pay offer Grange Resources has put means our members will go backwards in real terms, and that's just not on.
"Grange Resources' financial position is very robust, they're making plenty of money and our members don't see why they should take a pay cut in those circumstances," says AWU Tasmanian Branch Secretary Ian Wakefield.
