Griffin, CFMEU talks ongoing

Rick Stowe's The Griffin Group is facing the risk of industrial action as it seeks to complete the negotiation of new work agreements for its Collie coal workers.

The Construction Forestry Mining and Energy Union has not ruled out applying for protected industrial action against Griffin Coal Mining Company Pty Ltd over the negotiations, as the expiry of current union collective agreements draw closer.

District secretary for the mining and energy division of CFMEU WA, Gary Wood, told WA Business News current agreements are set to expire on June 30.

"The way it's going at Griffin Coal, the company doesn't appear to be negotiating in good faith," Mr Wood said.

"Unless there's a change of heart there could well be a ballot for protected action."

The union is negotiating new agreements for 235 of its members who work in a variety of production roles at Griffin Coal. Mr Wood said there are around 385 workers employed at the company's coal operations near Collie.

Both sides want different agreements, with Griffin said to be after modern, flexible agreements.

Mr Wood said the union's main issue was obtaining job security for its members and negotiating the scope of the agreements and to whom they would apply.

"Essentially the claims that we have really relate to security of employment of operators, there's no outrageous claims. The area we haven't dealt with in relation to it is our [pay] percentage increases over the life of the agreement," Mr Wood said.

"The unfortunate part is that we seem to be a fair way apart at the current time. Griffin has been principally focused on their objectives without taking into consideration the union's objectives.

Negotiations between both parties have been ongoing since February.

Griffin released a short statement to WA Business News saying it had entered into negotiations with the CFMEU

"It continues to negotiate in good faith to achieve an outcome which will sustain the future of the Collie coal industry," Griffin said.