At least 200 people are looking for work after the closure of a coal mine near Wollongong. The Russell Vale mine has been under scrutiny after several underground fires. Unions are now trying to make sure workers receive their full entitlements.
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00:00 There was no good news for workers summoned to a meeting in the Russell Vale Mine car
00:07 park this morning.
00:08 "The place is closing, they've shut me off the shop."
00:10 "Closing the mine and that's about it."
00:12 Staff say they were told the Indian parent company, Jindal Steel, no longer wanted to
00:16 put money into the operation.
00:18 "It's a sad day for Willawarra, there's a lot of history in this colliery, a lot of
00:23 people and their families have worked here."
00:24 It's not the first time the mine has been closed.
00:26 "This is my second stint, so I got put off in 2014, so I've done 10 years last time,
00:32 and just done another two years and finished again."
00:35 "It's horrible, you've got kids' birthdays and things like that."
00:38 The state's resources regulator placed a prohibition order on the mine last month over
00:43 serious safety concerns involving five underground fires.
00:47 Environment groups have welcomed the closure but are worried about rehabilitating the site
00:52 which sits under Sydney's water catchment.
00:54 The mine's operator has not responded to requests for comment, but unions say they have received
00:59 assurances on pay and conditions.
01:01 "We will work really hard to make sure that all of our members' legal entitlements are
01:07 paid."
01:08 Many workers have already started looking for jobs in the Hunter, Central West and Interstate.
01:14 But unions say it's time people were offered better employment options for their future.
01:19 "The place is closed, they think, 'Oh, well, you're coal mining, you'll get another job
01:22 elsewhere.'
01:23 So there needs to be a better process to retrain and reskill people."
01:27 A process of transition they hope receives more attention.
01:31 [BLANK_AUDIO]