Huntly miners reject latest pay offer

Solid Energy's North Island miners have rejected the company's latest settlement offer, continuing their month-long strike.

Engineering, Printing and Manufacturing Union (EPMU) members voted today to continue to strike, the company said.

However, the union had not been available for comment today.

The decision pushed up the pressure on miners working at Solid Energy's Buller and West Coast mines, who returned to work on Saturday after over a fortnight on strike.

Stockton miners will vote on the offer at 6pm tonight. Spring Creek miners are expected to do likewise.

Solid Energy chief operating officer Barry Bragg said that if the Huntly East miners accepted the 8.5 per cent increase, it would take their base pay rate from $78,832 to $85,600, he said.

However, those representing the miners were instead demanding 13.5 per cent - a figure "greedy both in the current economic climate and relative to other workers in Solid Energy and other New Zealand companies", he said.

The 120 coal miners and maintenance staff had been striking for a month at the marginally viable mine, Mr Bragg said.

"The future of (Huntly) East Mine is in the hands of 120 striking coal miners and maintenance staff. It's up to them whether they reconsider and accept our offer or whether they stay on strike indefinitely."

The company was also offering unionised employees New Zealand-wide a 2 per cent increase in the first year and 3 per cent in the second, as well as a lump sum of about $2000, recognising the company's record profits.

The 180 miners at the nearby Rotowaro mine, working for contractor HWE Mining, had accepted the company's offer but remained on strike in support of Huntly East .

Since record export prices had collapsed in November last year Solid Energy had struggled to break even, Mr Bragg said.

However, the company's annual report released last month showed it made a record after-tax profit of $111 million for the year ended June 30, though this was below half of forecast .

Mr Bragg said the EPMU had been irresponsible throughout the action.

"A month ago, they pulled Solid Energy staff into a dispute between HWE Mining Ltd and their staff which had nothing to do with Huntly East Mine or our South Island operations.

"The irony is that the dispute which triggered this is settled, thanks in large part to the efforts of the Solid Energy negotiating team, but we're now left with the fallout of 300 striking miners."

Solid Energy did not believe union delegates had properly represented its position during the last month of industrial action, he said.

The EPMU was unable to comment today .

- NZPA