Western Australia’s South Griffin coal mine stopped production for the third time in four months, due to the mine’s owners withholding money.

Reports say workers at the Bluewaters power station employed by Carna Civil Mining to operate the Griffin Collie coal mine downed tools over the weekend.

Their frustration came to a head after another delay in payment by Lanco Infratech, an Indian firm that owns the Griffin mine.

The mine supplies coal to Bluewaters, which powers much of WA’s South West grid.

The Construction Forestry Mining and Energy Union says it was an unusual situation for the 300 workers.

There was word that money would come in early this week, to pay outstanding wages and order fuel.

Lanco Infratech has recently been negotiating with lenders to restructure a mound of debt, which reached $US5.9 billion at the end of March.