In short:
The WA government says one of the state's last remaining coalmines is planning to go to day operations only.
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one → say → operations
The ABC understands Premier Coal told staff today and canvassed for voluntary redundancies.
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Coal → understand → redundancies
The WA government stands by its self-imposed deadline of ending coal-fired power by 2030.
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government → stand → 2030
The Western Australian government says it is disappointed that one of the state's last remaining coalmines will shift to day operations only.
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one → say → operations
The ABC has received confirmation from the government about Premier Coal's decision to reduce operating hours.
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ABC → receive → hours
The government is seeking more information on the matter.
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government → seek → matter
Transitioning to day shift operations would result in job losses at the mine in Collie, 200 kilometres south of Perth.
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Transitioning → transition → Perth
The ABC understands Premier Coal has told workers night shifts will end in the coming months and there will be a three-week planned shutdown over summer.
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shifts → understand → summer
"Premier Coal's decision to move its operational workforce to day shift is very disappointing," a state government spokesperson said.
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spokesperson → move → shift
"The government has sought urgent clarity from Premier Coal on the impact these changes will have on its workforce."
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changes → seek → workforce
Premier Coal did not respond to questions from the ABC.
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Coal → respond → ABC
Unions said the move would mean the axing of about 40 per cent of the workforce, or about 150 jobs.
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move → say → workforce
Management today handed out forms for workers to nominate for voluntary redundancies.
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workers → hand → redundancies
The decision comes as owner Yancoal has been embroiled in a tumultuous period of enterprise bargaining with workers as they try to negotiate their final agreement before the government's planned shutdown of coal-fired power generation by 2030.
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they → come → 2030
The workforce, which is more than 90 per cent unionised, has taken several hours of strike action since July, including refusing to load coal onto trains.
Australian Manufacturing Workers' Union Secretary Steve McCartney said the impacts of the decision were not just about staffing.
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impacts → take → staffing
"It looks like about a 40 per cent reduction in workers," he said.
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he → look → workers
"That's a lot of people that would be looking for a job where there isn't one at the moment.
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that → look → moment
"But more importantly, the redundancies will all be paid out on day shift rates and the night shift component will be taken out … that's 45 per cent of their money going missing when they're leaving."
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they → pay → money
In April, Premier Coal announced the loss of between 70 and 100 jobs at the Collie mine site.
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Coal → announce → site
No power blackouts expected
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blackouts → expect → ?
Energy analyst Tim Buckley, from Climate Energy Finance, said the night operations shutdown would not cause rolling blackouts.
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shutdown → say → blackouts
"Customers of WA can be confident there's not going to be significant impacts to the energy grid from this," he said.
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he → be → this
Coal generated 24 per cent of all electricity in WA in the past 12 months, while renewables contributed about 40 per cent.
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renewables → generate → cent
Mr Buckley said the decision by Premier Coal came sooner than the government was prepared for, but renewable projects across the state were steaming ahead.
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projects → say → state
In a statement, the state government said it was confident Premier Coal's decision would not affect the state's power supply.
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decision → say → supply
Workforce in transition
Taxpayer money has been pouring into Collie since the government made the announcement about shutting coal production in 2022.
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government → pour → 2022
The WA government's $230 million Collie Industrial Transition Fund has laid the groundwork for several new industries, but few have reached a final investment decision.
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few → lay → decision
In May, the WA government also flagged Collie as a potential home for a new manufacturing defence hub.
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government → flag → hub
The Aporia