PERTH (miningweekly.com) – The majority of staff from embattled base metals firm Queensland Nickel were on Thursday made redundant by the voluntary administrators of the company.
The administrators said in a statement that the terminations of employment and uncertainty regarding the new employment offers constituted a deeply regrettable, although unavoidable, situation given the administrators no longer had operational control of the Yabulu refinery.
A joint venture between QNI Resources and QNI Metals, Queensland Nickel Sales, earlier this week replaced Queensland Nickel, which went into voluntary administration in January, as the manager of the refinery and associated Townsville Port facilities.
Queensland Nickel administrators said at the time that the decision to replace Queensland Nickel as manager of the refinery was beyond its control.
However, the administrators on Thursday urged Queensland Nickel Sales to quickly resolve the ongoing employment of staff at the Yabulu refinery, adding that the new manager could offer current employees of Queensland Nickel employment.
“At this time the administrators are uncertain as to the status of future employment offers by Queensland Nickel Sales,” the administrators said.
Queensland Nickel Sales had previously said that all current employees at the Yabulu refinery would be offered employment on the same terms and conditions as they were currently engaged, under the new management.