Cornwall Coal mine in Fingal to cut one third of workforce, union says
The owners of a coal mine in north-east Tasmania are seeking 22 voluntary redundancies, a union says.
About 70 people work at the Cornwall Coal Company's two sites in the Fingal Valley.
Michael Anderson from the Communications Electrical and Plumbing Union said the workforce cuts, which he said the company had revealed during enterprise bargaining talks, would have a big impact on mining operations.
He said it was not yet clear if there would be forced redundancies.
"They haven't signalled that it's off the table, and of course if the voluntary redundancy process doesn't bear fruit or what they want, then of course they'll look at forced redundancies," he said.
Cornwall Coal and its parent company Cement Australia have been contacted for comment.
The company's website said Cornwall Coal produced more than "400,000 tonnes of washed coal each year, supplying virtually all of Tasmania's general coal requirements".
The site claims Cornwall Coal represents one of the major industries in the Fingal Valley and north-east Tasmania.
Local councillor John McGiveron, who worked for Cornwall Coal for 41 years said workers would struggle to find new jobs.
"It's something near a third of the workforce in the Fingal valley, apart from the mine and the council workers, there's very little here," he said.
"Forestry does not exist anymore, so it will have an impact."
