Monday, 5th June 2006 (2492 views)

More than 40 jobs are set to go at the Beaconsfield Gold Mine in Tasmania in the wake of the rockslide there that killed one worker and trapped another two underground.

Mine owner Allstate Explorations is looking to offer redundancy to 43 employees, as the mine looks set to remain completely closed for at least three more months in the wake of the April 25th rockslide that killed 44-year-old Larry Knight.

Beaconsfield administrator Michael Ryan said job cuts were necessary as the cost of keeping a full workforce while the mine was not in operation was too much to bear and that the revised total of 43 was considerably better than the 50 per cent of all employees originally expected to be shed.

Miner Michael Borrill, who was working when the rockslide took place, told the Melbourne Herald Sun: "Everyone I've spoken to is [applying for the redundancy package]. I think all 14 blokes that were on shift that night will take theirs."

Nonetheless, this view is apparently not shared by the Australian Workers Union (AWU) where, according to West Tamar mayor Barry Easther, leading officials believe the redundancy packages on offer will get few takers.

AWU national secretary Bill Shorten has also expressed doubts that the AUS$8 million community fund put together by the federal government will actually reach the pockets of the affected miners and their families.

 

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