Around $15 million in pay rises from Same Job Same Pay have started to flow in QLD after workers at Batchfire’s Callide mine at Biloela saw an increase in their pay packets and the Fair Work Commission issued an additional three orders for QLD coal mines.
As 350 labour hire mineworkers woke up to pay rises in the tens of thousands at Callide mine on 1 November, The Fair Work Commission issued an additional three orders covering labour hire workers at German Creek, Coppabella and Poitrel mine in Central Queensland.
At German Creek, around 70 Workpac and Mobilise employees have received an annual pay increase of around $50,000 a year.
At Poitrel, around 90 Workpac employees have seen an annual increase of around $60,000 a year.
At Coppabella, around 50 Workpac, Protech and One Key employees have seen an annual increase of around $15,000.
For Tania Henshall, a labour hire worker at Coppabella mine near Moranbah, the Same Job Same Pay order has lifted her pay to match the rates under the Enterprise Agreement covering direct employees.
Tania told the MEU that when she got involved in the campaign with our Union it was to support her family. She said that the pay rise means that she can do things like support education costs for her children and put money towards things like housing and transport.
President of the Callide Valley Lodge, Graeme Middlebrook spoke to us about the relief he has seen on members’ faces to be receiving this pay rise, particularly in a cost-of-living crisis.
He said that in addition to the $20,000 to $25,000 pay rise he hopes to see more permanent positions offered which will provide more job security to workers. We are seeing a consistent trend of hiring more permanent employees among our biggest mine operators since the financial incentive to outsource has been removed.
Since new laws have kicked in, we have also seen mine operators confirm that they will not stand in the way of Same Job Same Pay. This has provided much appreciate relief to workers and their families who know that they can expect an order from the Fair Work Commission soon and receive the same rate of pay as permanents.
However, despite Same Job Same Pay being the law of the land, BHP continue to dig their heels in for a fight over Same Job Same Pay, challenging applications for BHP Operations Services (OS) workers.
We urge BHP to respect the law of the land and stop resisting Same Job Same Pay applications to delay pay rises that are inevitable.
As of November, when the laws came into effect, the MEU had made 46 applications to the Fair Work Commission for Same Job Same Pay at 24 coal mine sites nationally, worth an estimated total of $128 million in annual pay rises.
As we approach the end of the year with a federal election looming, it is also worth pointing out that Peter Dutton and the Liberal National Party (LNP) have made it clear that these gains are under threat if they come to power.
MEU members will be working incredibly hard to ensure that the Liberal Nationals cannot bring back a toxic and divisive model designed purely to circumvent enterprise agreements and cut wages next year.
If you want to help us defend these wins, we encourage everyone in our industry to join the Union in 2024. What better New Years’ Resolution could there be than investing in your own rights and protection at work.
To all readers, I would also point out that unfortunately the holidays are one of the most dangerous times on the road and to please drive with caution this Christmas season.
As a Union we often say that workers should return home safely from work. This holiday season we also say that everyone should make it home safely for Christmas to enjoy time with family and loved ones.
From our Union, we wish you a Merry Christmas and a safe and happy New Year.
Mitch Hughes
President Mining and Energy Union Queensland District
