$120 million+ in Same Job Same Pay pipeline for mineworkers

Applications for Same Job Same Pay covering over 4000 labour hire mineworkers are set to deliver annual pay rises worth a total of over $120 million, with new laws coming into effect this week.  

The Mining and Energy Union has made 46 applications covering workers at 24 coal mine sites in NSW and Queensland. The first Same Job Same Pay order at Callide mine will deliver approximately $5 million in annual pay rises to the labour hire workforce at that site, with several more orders anticipated to be made by the Fair Work Commission ahead of the laws taking effect this Friday 1 November.  

The remainder of applications are before the Fair Work Commission in various stages of assessment. Pay rises will apply from the time an order is made at a site.  

MEU General Secretary Grahame Kelly said the Union’s 46 applications were just the start of an industry-wide effort to stamp out exploitative labour hire practices.  

“We have $120 million worth of pay rises in the pipeline for over 4000 workers with more to come. This is fantastic news for regional families and communities who will benefit from the extra income that big mining companies have been pocketing.  

“Same Job Same Pay is driving pay rises for labour hire workers as intended. It is also leading to mining companies hiring more permanent workers as their financial incentive to outsource is removed.  

“There is a consistent trend of hiring more permanent employees among our biggest mine operators including Anglo, Peabody, Whitehaven, Glencore and BHP – some of these companies haven’t taken on permanents in over a decade. 

“These laws are a game-changer for employment practices in the mining industry.” 

Same Job Same Pay applications at some sites are being contested by affected mine operators and /or labour hire companies.  

MEU General Secretary Grahame Kelly said the Union was confident that circumstances at all sites subject to Same Job Same Pay applications met criteria set out under the new laws. That is, that labour hire workers were being paid less for the same work as permanent employees covered by an enterprise agreement.  

“We believe that some employers are contesting applications simply to buy time and delay pay rises that are inevitable. We urge them to respect the law of the land and pay workers according to their obligations.”  

The Mining and Energy Union National Convention kicks off at 3:00pm today and ends on 1 November.