Hope has emerged for hundreds of Illawarra mine workers stood down when Delta SBD went into administration, with indications some may keep their jobs – in the short term at least. The mine services firm called in the administrators on Wednesday after halting trading in its shares owing to concerns about its solvency. Delta’s Illawarra workfoce numbered about 370: 100 workers at Wollongong Coal’s Wongawilli mine, more than 50 workers at Peabody’s Metropolitan Colliery at Helensburgh, and an estimated 220 at South32’s Appin operations. The Mercury understands one of the major contracts – with South32 – may be maintained with Delta under the control of administrators. This would mean perhaps 200 of the jobs would continue, at least while the administrators from audit and advisory firm Grant Thornton attempt to right the stricken ship that is Delta SBD. The administrators, Said Jahani and John McInerney, said they were working “around the clock” to find a way out for Delta. “We understand the substantial impact this is having on Delta’s workers and their families, and I want to assure everyone … we are doing everything we can to find a solution,” Mr Jahani said. “We are currently conducting an urgent review of Delta's employees and the union representatives, customers, creditors, and other key stakeholders.” Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union district vice-president Bob Timbs said the union had had constructive discussions with the administrators. “We believe that with some of the contracts there may be some good news,” he said. Workers stood down from South32’s Appin operations met with representatives of the company on Thursday to discuss options. One worker at the meeting said South32 would take the entire workforce back as soon as possible on under current enterprise conditions. South32 was working through the issues with Delta’s administrators but it was early days. “We are aware that Delta SBD has entered into voluntary administration and are working with the administrator to understand and mitigate any potential impacts at our Appin mine,” a South32 spokeswoman said. It is understood the favourable outcome hoped for would only be likely to cover about half the workers stood down Illawarra-wide. For the rest it will be continued uncertainty as it remains to be seen whether another contractor will be able to pick up the work undertaken by Delta. Wongawilli mine owner Wollongong Coal remains in a trading halt. The Mercury asked the company whether it would resume mining at Wongawilli by re-employing the Delta workforce, but did not receive an answer.
