Twenty-seven Hunter Valley labour hire coal miners are the first direct beneficiaries of Same Job Same Pay laws, with the mine operator offering them permanent jobs with pay rises of more than $30,000 a year.
In March, the Mining and Energy Union made a Same Job Same Pay application to the Fair Work Commission for Programmed labour hire mineworkers at Mount Pleasant coal mine near Muswellbrook, operated by Thiess.
The MEU has withdrawn the application today after Thiess agreed to directly employ the Programmed workers in scope of the proposed Same Job Same Pay order.
“This is a terrific outcome for these workers and an important step towards restoring wage justice across the mining industry,” said MEU Northern Mining and NSW Energy District President Robin Williams.
“For years, these labour hire workers have been getting pay packets over $30,000 a year less than permanents doing the same work.
“The mine operator has responded to our application by agreeing to employ them directly. Now, not only will they get the same pay as the permanent employees they work next to, they will also get the same job security, conditions and entitlements.
“A goal of the new laws is to remove the economic incentive to outsource permanent jobs to lower-paid labour hire. It’s fantastic seeing the laws lifting pay and job security as intended.”
Mr Williams said there had been an increase in mine operators offering permanent jobs to labour hire workers since Same Job Same Pay laws were introduced.
He said the Union would now proceed with preparing and submitting its next applications for labour hire workers across the mining industry.
The MEU’s Same Job Same Pay application for labour hire workers at Batchfire’s Callide Mine in Central Queensland is waiting to be determined by the Fair Work Commission.
