Mining Companies in Australia Seek to Overturn Convictions

Australian affiliate CFMEU condemned the legal recourse two mining companies are taking over their criminal convictions to health and safety laws. The two, Xstrata and Centennial Coal, say they will challenge to overturn a statute in New South Wales calling for criminal prosecutions of serious health and safety violations. Both have been convicted of such offences. CFMEU says there will be no compromise on the statute. “Let these companies tell the miners face to face why they consider their health and safety not worth the protection of the law and why they consider their lives of no value,” said Tony Maher, the union’s Mining and Energy General President.