By Annabelle Tukia
Just days after hearing their jobs were gone, many workers from the Spring Creek Mine near Greymouth were back at another meeting – but with a better offer.
A recruiting team told them Christchurch needs 1000 more workers to rebuild the city's infrastructure.
“We're ramping up to 150 work sites across Christchurch from the 90 that we've currently got," says SCIRT Recruitment CEO Duncan Gibbs. "To do that we need good skilled people. The skills of mining people – even though they're mining – they're very transferrable to civil construction."
Mr Gibbs says they're looking for people to help rebuild the city's badly damaged roads, tunnels, sewers, and foundations.
But after the meeting, reaction from the workers was mixed. Spring Creek contractor Josh Cornish was optimistic.
“I never thought I’d have an opportunity to go over there,” he says. “If I have to go over there I will, [it’d] be good to be a part of the rebuild. Quite like the city myself.”
Some of the workers 3 News spoke to told us they believed they had 20 years' employment left at Spring Creek. They have mortgages and families on the coast, and taking a pay cut and moving to Christchurch isn't an option.
“From what I gather from it's a skill-based thing – if you've got the skills you may get that higher wage but if you haven't, like most of us probably haven't, you've got to learn that stuff which means we're gonna start on a low wage,” says job seeker Aaron Kereopa.
Another miner looking for new work, George Iraia, says he may now be looking overseas.
“I've got to seriously look at Aussie if I want to give my kids the education they deserve, and that I want for them as a father,” he says.
“I want the best for them – I've got to look at Aussie, that’s my only choice.”
But it’s a choice that for many won't be so clear cut.
3 News