Thursday 20 October, 2011

Media Release


International unions pledge full support for recovery of Pike River miners

International trade unions have confirmed their full support for the need to recover the bodies of the 29 men who died at Pike River coalmine last November.

The Maritime and Mining Conference held in Durban, South Africa, earlier this month (4 – 7 October) unanimously passed a resolution on Pike River which included a pledge to launch a global campaign to force a recovery should this not be forthcoming by the mine’s receivers or, if sold, new owners.

EPMU assistant national secretary, Ged O’Connell, says the resolution was discussed with family representatives of the deceased miners at a meeting in Greymouth last night. Mr O’Connell, who attended the Durban conference, says the families are appreciative of the support for the recovery of their loved ones.

“The 250 conference delegates were adamant that there had to be a workable recovery plan in place if the mine was to be sold,” says Mr O’Connell. “The international unions are saying the recovery must be an absolute priority and they want to see this being actively pursued as part of on-going operations – now and in the future should new owners take over Pike River.”

Twenty unions were represented at the Durban conference, coming from Australia, Great Britain, South Africa, Ghana, USA, Mexico, and New Zealand. Also in attendance was the International Federation of Chemical, Energy, Mine and General workers Union (ICEM), the International Metalworkers Federation (IMF) and the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC).

The EPMU has sent the conference resolution (set out below) to Pike River Coal’s receivers, PricewaterhouseCoopers.

Ends.

Pike River Resolution

That this Conference of Mining & Maritime Unions, meeting in Durban, South Africa in October 2011, first extends our sympathy and condolences to the families and friends of the 29 miners whose bodies remain entombed in the Pike River Colliery in New Zealand following the disaster on 19 November 2010.

Second, this meeting offers our full support to the understandable demands of the families of the deceased miners that a satisfactory plan be developed to recover the bodies of those miners.

Third, this meeting declares that a failure by either the current administrators or the Government of New Zealand to ensure the recovery of the bodies from the mine will mean the unions present here will initiate a global campaign aimed at forcing such a recovery.

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