Peabody Energy has confirmed the lockout of workers at its Wambo Coal Handling Preparation Plant near Singleton has not been extended, with all employees able to return to work on full pay.
The clarification comes after the Mining and Energy Union accused the company of extending the lockout indefinitely, saying Peabody was deliberately withholding wages to pressure workers into accepting a substandard enterprise agreement.
Peabody confirmed that the two-week lockout had concluded and that employees could return to perform their normal duties.
The underlying enterprise bargaining dispute between the company and the union remains unresolved. Peabody’s current offer includes a 13 per cent pay rise over four years, which the union has rejected. The MEU says workers will not accept what it describes as a substandard agreement regardless of the pressure applied.
