Nathan River Resources has suspended operations and laid off workers at a remote iron ore mine in the Northern Territory, citing the soaring costs of fuel as the primary reason for this decision.<\/p>\n
Labor unions have expressed their discontent with this move, asserting that many employees have not received their wages for several weeks. Meanwhile, the Northern Territory government has stated that it is in communication with the company and has alerted WorkSafe about the situation.<\/p>\n
A significant number of employees at the Roper Bar mine, located approximately 600 kilometers southeast of Darwin, have been laid off without pay, causing frustration among labor representatives who highlight that some individuals have gone weeks without earning a salary.<\/p>\n
In a letter addressed to employees on Good Friday, Nathan River Resources informed the workforce of the suspension, attributing the disruption to the ongoing fuel crisis. The correspondence indicated that this crisis has hindered the company’s operational capacity.<\/p>\n
David Hayes, an organizer with the Electrical Trades Union NT, criticized the company’s justification for the layoffs, suggesting that the impact of fuel shortages has been overstated. He reported that over 40 workers have been affected by this decision and pointed out significant unpaid superannuation and redundancy issues. “This excuse is simply not credible,” he remarked, adding that employees are owed substantial sums that have not been addressed.<\/p>\n
Hayes mentioned that he attempted to reach out to the company’s leadership, specifically Project Director Simon Peat, but was unable to establish contact. Efforts by ABC to reach Peat also went unanswered.<\/p>\n
In the letter to employees, Nathan River Resources committed to maintaining open lines of communication. \u201cIf you have any questions regarding your pay or your employment conditions, please feel free to reach out to us,\u201d it stated. The company expressed regret over the difficulties faced by employees and acknowledged their dedication and contributions.<\/p>\n
Caleb Burke, an organizer with the Australian Workers’ Union NT, condemned the situation as “unacceptable” and urged for immediate redeployment of the staff. He emphasized the importance of getting workers back on the job to alleviate financial pressures amid rising living costs.<\/p>\n
Former employee Alan Johnstone, who operated dump trucks for Nathan River Resources for about a year, shared that he is owed nearly $40,000 in unpaid superannuation. He detailed his struggles to receive payment, which led him to involve Fair Work Australia and the Australian Taxation Office after his employer failed to compensate him for three weeks of work. “Almost two years later, they still haven’t paid my super,” he lamented.<\/p>\n
NT Minister for Mining and Energy, Gerard Maley, acknowledged the concerns raised regarding this matter and confirmed that his department is engaged with Nathan River Resources. However, he clarified that his department’s oversight does not extend to the day-to-day employment practices of the company. \u201cIt is the company’s responsibility to adhere to all relevant workplace obligations,\u201d he added, noting that the minister responsible for WorkSafe has been informed of the situation.<\/p>\n
In a separate context, Nathan River Resources has also faced penalties exceeding $300,000 for improperly discharging contaminated wastewater, which posed a potential environmental risk to a national park.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Nathan River Resources has suspended operations and laid off workers at a remote iron ore mine in the Northern Territory, citing the soaring costs of fuel as the primary reason for this decision. Labor unions have expressed their discontent with this move, asserting that many employees have not received their wages for several weeks. Meanwhile, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":6539,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[43,1436,1341,1298,909],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-6540","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-australia","category-au-industrial-relations","category-au-iron-ore","category-au-mining-and-metals-industry","category-au-unions"],"yoast_head":"\n