The Fair Work Commission has ruled in favour of Yancoal in a dispute with a haul truck driver at its Mount Thorley Warkworth coal mine in the Hunter Valley, rejecting a request for permanent day‑shift work.
The worker, a Newcastle‑based mother who returned from parental leave, sought an ongoing exemption from night shifts, citing a lack of available childcare services that could accommodate extended and overnight hours.
Yancoal argued the change would disrupt its 24‑hour roster system, create safety risks and damage production. Evidence before the commission showed 16 night shifts went uncovered over a five‑month period, with at least one haul truck left idle on some nights.
The commission accepted estimates that lost or deferred production linked to those absences could amount to around $780,000, with costs potentially rising to more than $1 million annually if the arrangement continued.
The worker remains employed at the mine.
