MINE WORKERS TO FACE DRUG AND ALCOHOL TESTS

BROKEN Hill mine workers will be tested for drugs and alcohol next year,
despite opposition from unions.

Pasminco Broken Hill Mines general manager Mr Mark Hine said yesterday
safety at the site was not negotiable and the drug and alcohol policy would
be introduced on January 1.

He said a decision by a stopwork meeting of mine workers on Friday to
reject the policy and seek further negotiations with the company was
disappointing.

Barrier Industrial Council president Mr Frank Murphy said the mine workers,
who were members of two unions, felt the policy went beyond the Mines
Inspection Act, which required suspicion of a person being affected before
they were removed from the site.

Mr Hine said the policy would be reviewed in three months in consultation
with the unions.

Checked-by: Richard Lake