September 24, 2026
Last agreement. Best agreement.
The Mining and Energy Union and Australian Manufacturing Workers’ Union are recommending that Premier Coal workers vote NO to the company’s proposed Enterprise Agreement.
This is expected to be the workforce’s final Enterprise Agreement before the mine closes. It is the last opportunity for workers to lock in the wages and conditions they and their families will rely on through an uncertain future.
Premier Coal and Yancoal have made enormous amounts of money from generations of Collie workers. After everything this workforce has contributed to the company and the state of Western Australia, members deserve an agreement that delivers proper recognition, security and respect.
The proposed agreement does not deliver it.
Bring the wage increases forward
Premier’s proposed wage increases are weighted too heavily towards the later years of the agreement.
With the mine facing closure, members need more of the wage increases delivered up front, while they can be certain of receiving their full value.
Workers should not be asked to rely on increases promised years into an uncertain future. The MEU and AMWU have consistently raised front-loading the wage increases as a key issue that would help secure members’ support for an agreement.
Bring the money forward. Lock it in now.
Remove the roster risk
The proposed agreement contains roster provisions that create unacceptable uncertainty for workers and their families.
Members should know what their working arrangements will be. They should not be asked to approve provisions that could expose them to significant roster changes later without reasonable assurances and protections.
Respect our future
Premier must improve its position on paid training time and accommodate reasonable transition training.
As the mine approaches closure, workers need genuine opportunities to prepare for what comes next. They should not have to sacrifice their own time to undertake training for their future.
Premier can afford to do better
Premier Coal and Yancoal have profited from the work of generations of Collie workers.
Now, as the workforce faces an uncertain future, Premier must deliver an agreement that recognises members’ contribution and provides the wages, certainty and protections they deserve.
A strong NO vote will send a clear message: return to the bargaining table and improve the agreement.
Voting information
Voting opens at 8am on Tuesday 29 September and closes at 4pm on Thursday 1 October.
The ballot is secret. Premier Coal, supervisors and other employees will not be told how anyone voted. The company will receive only the overall result from the independent company conducting the ballot.
Voting NO does not end bargaining. It rejects the proposed agreement in its current form and tells Premier to return to the bargaining table with a better deal.
Every NO vote matters.