Workers at Yancoal Australia's Premier coal mine vote for strike over pay dispute

Yankuang Energy

09/09/2026 24:50

Sept 9 (Reuters) - Workers at Yancoal Australia's YAL.AX Premier coal mine voted in favour of a strike, seeking higher pay and greater certainty over entitlements and future earnings, the Mining and Energy Union (MEU) said on Wednesday. 
     
Here are the details:
More than 90% of MEU members supported every proposed action, including stoppages longer than 12 hours, but did not say when they would go on strike.
The strike is also backed by members of the Australian Manufacturing Workers’ Union, with 93% voting in favour.
The Premier coal mine, which supplies coal to power generators in Western Australia, is expected to close around the end of the decade amid Western Australia's transition away from government-owned coal-fired power generation by 2030.
The union explained that the current agreement includes six possible roster arrangements, some of which could affect redundancy calculations if implemented.
Yancoal Australia did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment. Its majority shareholder is Chinese state-backed miner Yankuang Energy 600188.SS.
Australian miners are facing rising cases of industrial action, amid inflation and changes to workplace laws under the Labor government.

(Reporting by Nichiket Sunil in Bengaluru; Editing by Rashmi Aich)
((Nichiket.Sunil@thomsonreuters.com;))