Hundreds have lost their jobs and worry is widespread among workers at a currently closed mine-site in north Queensland.

The Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union (CFMEU) has been involved in the ongoing dispute of miners at the Glencore coal mine near Mackay. The massive coal dig was shut down just over a week ago, laying off 400 workers in the process.

The stoush has continued, with the mine operators now saying it will not be fired-up again until staff agree to new workplace arrangements. Meetings before the weekend sought to resolve the stand-off, with workers not keen to sign up to worse conditions than they previously had. Reports say the mining company had been making offers to workers on nearby sites to step into the roles, even offering to bring them onto site in blacked-out buses to avoid the outrage of current employees.

CFMEU spokesman Steve Smyth says they are willing to get the State Government involved in the quest for compromise, but Glencore will not budge: “No matter if there was a person from the Government, I don't think that Glencore would resolve their tune,” he said, “if they could help, that would be good.”

The current Queensland State Government has previously been characterised by its deference towards mining companies, but Mr Smyth says if they could just mediate the Union’s suggestions, that would help too.

“They keep continuing to run the line that they need this agreement, they need things to change, they need the flexibility and restrictions not to be in place... obviously we propose to them the current workforce would deliver all this, but they're not listening and they're not in any mood to accept any proposals being put forward... at this stage they're focused on the end game of opening up the mine with a replacement workforce, with lesser conditions and entitlements and throwing the community of Collinsville on the scrap heap,” he said.