Five years since the Pike River Mine disaster

The CTU remembers the 29 men who were killed at work at Pike River Mine five years ago today on 19 November 2010.

CTU President Richard Wagstaff comments that, “I have no doubt that the deaths of the 29 men could have been prevented. If our health and safety laws had been stronger, in combination with better health and safety practices in the mine, the men wouldn’t have been killed.”

“Pike was an appalling place to work. It had insufficient ventilation, was gassy, untested mining processes were used, a bullying culture that criticised those that raised concerns, very high staff turnover, lack of training, no viable second way out of the mine. These factors meant that a disaster was, in many ways, inevitable.”

“Those that worked at Pike regularly and formally raised multitudes of serious safety concerns. Their concerns went unheard and unaddressed.”

“The grief of the families is made harder by the injustice and lack of accountability from anyone for what happened at Pike. The shareholders, the regulator (MBIE) and Pike River Coal management have all escaped accountability for the men they killed.”

“The new health and safety law means that some workplaces are safer than others. New Zealanders deserve better health and safety law than this.”

“Regardless of whether you work in a mine or an office or in the forest, all working people should know that they are able to do their work safely and return home alive and uninjured,” Wagstaff said.

ENDS

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