The most recent figures from Coal Services show there were just over 20,872 coal production jobs in NSW as at December 2017 - nearly 2000 more than at the same time in 2016, and the highest number since July 2014.

Many of these positions were in the Hunter, with almost 1100 more local jobs than a year earlier, helping to boost the Hunter economy, particularly in mining communities like Singleton, Muswellbrook, Cessnock and Maitland.

In the New England region there were 2284 coal mining production jobs in December 2017, an increase of 162 on the same time in 2016 and the highest number on record.

Nearly 900 more positions have been created in the region over the last three years, delivering economic strength to communities like Gunnedah, Narrabri and Tamworth.

Four-hundred-and-twenty-seven additional coal mining jobs were also created In the Illawarra during 2017, taking the total number in that region to 2550 in December 2017, the highest in two years.

In the Western Coalfields an additional 212 coal mining jobs were added in 2017, taking the total to 2900 and helping to sustain regional communities like Mudgee and Lithgow.

This growth in coal mining jobs across regional NSW is also good for the more than 8000 businesses in the suburbs of Sydney and across the state that supply mining operations in NSW.  

“Many of our NSW coal mining communities had a tough few years from 2013 to the end of 2016, so this jobs boost over 2017 is really good news for local economies,” NSW Minerals Council CEO Stephen Galilee said.

“There’s been a sustained recovery in business conditions for coal mining in NSW over the past 18 months. 

“We’ve seen the average Free On Board (FOB) value of thermal coal per tonne rise from A$68.27 in June 2016 to A$114.82 by December 2017, the highest price since December 2011. 

“The FOB value of coking coal per tonne has also steadied at A$167.91 compared to the low of $98.87 at the end of 2015.  

“This has really helped deliver more jobs to our coal mining regions.

“Strong demand for NSW coal means more NSW coal mining jobs.”

The Coal Services’ figures come days after Yancoal briefly locked staff out of its Ashton underground mine in the latest chapter of a dispute over rolling over their employment agreement. 

Across its two other Hunter sites, the company has this year announced more than 100 contract crib relief haul truck operators employed by a third party were no longer required.