According to a TVNZ report, Huntly East workers voted yesterday to accept the pay increase they had previously turned down. The workers, led by the Engineering, Printing and Manufacturing Union, were asking for a 13.5% increase.

 

Workers at Huntly’s sister mine, Stockton, voted to accept a national offer which would cover all the company's mines.

 

Solid Energy had offered its unionised employees a 2% increase in base remuneration in year one and a 3% increase in year two. A 3% lump sum payment (about $NZ2000) was also offered in recognition of the company’s record profit in the 2009 financial year.

 

Union spokesperson Rob Egan told that workers at the Spring Creek mine were yet to formalise the national agreement but were expected to do so this afternoon.