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Workers up in arms over Nifty layoffs

Miners from the Nifty underground copper operation in the east Pilbara are threatening to take legal action against owner Aditya Birla Minerals following a cave-in that has forced 400 workers offsite.

Shares in the company - part of US$40 billion ($42.7 billion) Indian conglomerate Aditya Birla Group - have been suspended from trading, having last changed hands at 29.5�, since the "underground subsidence" late last month.

Aditya Birla is the latest in a string of owners of Nifty, which is near Newcrest's Telfer gold mine.

Workers have been forced to take their annual leave while those without leave entitlements are on indefinite unpaid leave.

The company says it does not know when the mine will reopen.

A spokesman for about 100 workers who met in Morley yesterday said the group was considering legal action against Aditya Birla for allegedly failing to meet its obligations to staff.

The spokesman, who asked not be named for fear of repercussions, said the company had told workers it was not required to pay them while the mine was closed for repairs because the incident was beyond its control.

But the workers claim Aidtya Birla was at fault, and accused it of allegedly failing to address signs of stress at the site, including cracks in the mine.

One worker, who would only give his name as Steve, said his colleagues were taking it tough.

"I've had grown men on the phone crying to me because they can't pay their mortgage and feed their family," he said.

A company spokesman rejected claims Aditya Birla had failed to address warning signs of a sinkhole. "When we became aware of cracks on the ground we immediately engaged a leading independent mining consultant to conduct a thorough assessment of the situation," he said.

"After this was completed, we initiated actions on all the recommended measures immediately and continued to monitor the situation closely.

"The events which unfolded were beyond our control."

The Department of Mines and Petroleum yesterday granted Aditya Birla approval to start investigative probe drilling and install a seismic system at Nifty.