Miners call nationwide strike

Solid Energy miners will begin a 48-hour nationwide strike tomorrow as they up the ante in their fight for pay parity between mines.

The Engineering, Printing and Manufacturing Union (EPMU) said today Solid Energy had offered a 2.8 per cent increase.

EPMU southern regional operations director Jed O'Connor said Westport's Stockton Mine, Huntly, the Ohai opencast in Southland and Rotowaro in the Waikato would all strike.

Only the Terrace Mine near Reefton would be unaffacted as it's staff were still under agreement, he said.

"It's the result of a breakdown in negotiations for a mining multi-employer collective, negotiated over the last six weeks.

"We can't make any progress."

Workers wanted pay parity between mines which Solid Energy claimed could amount to increases of between 20 and 30 per cent, Mr O'Connor said.

The nationwide strike follows a 24-hour wildcat strike at Spring Creek. Miners returned to work at 3pm yesterday.

The strike will begin at 7am tomorrow.

- NZPA