The Engineering, Printing and Manufacturing Union says HWE’s decision means the miners will have no income until the lockout notice is lifted.

A further 100 EPMU miners at Solid Energy’s Huntly East mine walked off the job for 48 hours this morning in protest against the lockout.

“Our members have been trying for months to reach a deal with HWE, but the company has continued to hold out even after Solid Energy and six of its other contractors have agreed to a settlement,” EPMU national secretary Andrew Little said.

“After being stonewalled at negotiations again last night our members voted to impose a go-slow and an overtime ban, only for HWE to escalate the situation with a full lockout.

“This over-the-top reaction to low-level industrial action is unhelpful and vindictive. HWE needs to withdraw the lockout and get back to the table.”

Meanwhile, miners at Solid Energy’s Stockton mine are continuing with an overtime ban against mining contractor Doug Hood, which is also refusing to settle.

Henry Walker Eltin is owned by Leighton Mining.