An overwhelming majority of mine employees are prepared to temporarily postpone duties for more long-term employment across Central Queensland.
Coal workers from four BHP Mitsubishi Alliance (BMA) mine sites recently voted in favour of part-shift stoppages (90 per cent), overtime bans (94 per cent), training sessions (90 per cent), step up duties (93 per cent), hot-seating bans during shift changeovers (95 per cent), and meal breaks at designated times (93 per cent). A total of 81 per cent supported shift-length stoppages exceeding six hours.
Industrial action is most likely to occur at the following BMA operations:
- Saraji, 231km southwest of Mackay
- Blackwater, 226km west of Rockhampton
- Peak Downs, 210km southwest of Mackay
- Goonyella Riverside, 203km southwest of Mackay.
The Mining and Energy Union (MEU) believes the 10-day ballot held between 14 and 24 October 2022 reflects widespread concerns about dwindling permanent positions to just 40 per cent since the year 2012. Labour hire contractor numbers soared to 60 per cent during the same period, largely due to BHP’s in-house Operations Services business.
“The union is seeking protections for enterprise agreement (EA) jobs, maintaining a multi-skilled workforce with consistent pay rates and protections from permanent jobs being replaced by Operations Services and other labour hire [companies],” MEU Queensland district president Stephen Smyth said in a public statement.
“The next step will be to engage with members and develop an effective plan for protected industrial action to achieve a fairer EA that recognises the value of job security.”
However, BMA claims its EA already offers some of the sector’s best employment environments. AMR understands these provisions include hiring additional new employees, paid union annual general meetings for all mine sites, voluntary early retirement at any time, and simplified redundancy provisions to increase EA protections and retrenchment entitlements.
“We have tabled a package that contains industry-leading conditions, job security protection and measures that keep our operations safe, productive and sustainable,” a BMA spokesperson said according to News Limited.
“We are disappointed about the support for industrial action and remain committed to constructive bargaining in good faith through the existing Fair Work Commission process. The best way forward for a win-win outcome is to negotiate an agreement, not industrial action,” the spokesperson added according to the Australian Associated Press.
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