Regional coal: Australia coal workers threaten to strike

Australia's miners union said on Friday said it would call a national coal strike early next week in an industrial campaign over safety standards, Reuters reported.

The campaign was in response to continuing deregulation of safety standards and practices in the coal industry by the New South Wales (NSW) and Queensland state governments, the Construction, Forestry Mining and Engineering Union (CFMEU) said in a statement.

The union's national executive will meet next Tuesday.

"Unless we receive public commitment from the NSW and Queensland governments to improve mine safety and improve prosecutions, then we have no option than to commence a national campaign of action," Tony Maher, General President of the miners union said.

Australia is the largest coal exporter in the world. It is a major source of coal for the power stations and steel industries of Japan, South Korea and other Asian countries. (*)