December 19, 2025
As the year draws to a close, it’s high time to reflect on the year that was for the Mining and Energy Union. 2025 has been a year of action for the MEU – growing our membership, improving our capacity, and winning stronger pay and conditions for thousands of mineworkers around Australia.
We have delivered Same Job Same Pay at 26 mines across New South Wales and Queensland, winning a cumulative $150 million a year in well-deserved pay rises and breaking the back of the labour hire rort. Thanks to the MEU’s advocacy, thousands of labour hire mineworkers are now receiving pay in line with their directly employed workmates – as they should have been from the start.
This has not been without its challenges, however through unity and determination the MEU has overcome them. BHP dedicated millions of dollars to fighting our applications covering Operations Services workers and attempting to subvert or delay the flow of pay rises.
Thankfully, through the testimony of our members and delegates and the work of our legal team, the courts saw through BHP’s arguments and declined to delay the orders coming in to effect, with long overdue pay rises kicking in on 14 September. While the company has flagged further appeals, this is a monumental achievement and the cornerstone of our Same Job Same Pay campaign – one only possible due to the long-term vision, commitment and resolve of our members.
Likewise, we led the way on utilising and defending the new delegates rights laws, which allow workplace delegates to more effectively represent and advocate for their workmates. Late this month, we won a vital judicial review of these rights, establishing that delegates are able to represent all workers in a workplace – not just those employed by the same entity.
Same Job Same Pay and delegates rights were also in the crosshairs on the political front, along with the other workplace reforms introduced by the Albanese Government, in the Federal Election of May this year. A Peter Dutton Government promised to take us back to the worst days of the Coalition, rolling back our wins, gutting our public sector and doing next to nothing to address the cost-of-living crisis.
At the beginning of the year, the Coalition returning to power looked eerily possible – at some points even likely. However, the union movement stepped up and helped deliver a resounding result for Labor, returning them to power with an increased majority – the strongest result since WWII. The MEU and our members played no small role in this, giving our time and platform to defend the accomplishments of the last three years, and ultimately returning strong swings towards Labor in our target electorates.
2025 has been a year of action, of solidarity, and of standing up for what’s right. Across the country, our lodges have taken action to improve the pay and conditions for themselves, their workmates, and their loved ones.
MEU members at Helensburgh, Rix’s Creek and Ulan have taken industrial action following breakdowns of in bargaining, at great personal cost. Members have picketed, marched, and been locked out of their workplaces in pursuit of their claims. I’m pleased to say that throughout the year, MEU members have stood strong, in solidarity with one another, to achieve better deals. The resolve of our lodges at Helensburgh and Rix’s Creek saw improved agreements beyond what the company was previously willing to consider, while workers at Ulan stood firm long enough to trigger arbitration through the new Intractable Bargaining clause in the Fair Work Act. I congratulate these lodges on their success and solidarity and commend all MEU members who stood up this year for a better agreement.
This year, however, has also seen significant ruptures in the industry at the expense of mine workers. Corporate and financial mismanagement has led to the suspension of operations at Liberty Bell Bay in Tasmania and Tahmoor mine, a highly profitable and effective operation, with workers furloughed indefinitely. The situation at LBB and Tahmoor is intertwined with the crisis at Whyalla Steelworks in South Australia, and the collapse of the Sanjeev Gupta business empire, and remains in the hand of liquidators.
We have spent this year advocating on behalf of the workers at Liberty Bell Bay and Tahmoor and continue to encourage the receivers to move quickly to sell the assets. Our thoughts are with the workers at Tahmoor and Liberty Bell Bay and their families, and hope the Christmas season brings some certainty.
Progress has been made in the energy sector this year, as the Net Zero Economy Authority ramps up their work in the community. We have long advocated for an agency to manage redeployment of workers at closing power stations into other roles, either within the industry or into other comparable, well-paid local jobs. While the Authority is not perfect, we have been engaging proactively and constructively to support their work as our power assets reach end of life.
In August, MEU delegates from power stations and captured coal mines across Australia met in Sydney to meet and discuss their individual circumstances and concerns, and plan for the future. This meeting was addressed by Industry Minister Tim Ayres and senior management of the NZEA, fostering dialog between energy workers and decisionmakers. Delegates endorsed future plans and committed to further advocacy for their workmates and their regions.
Finally, I must conclude by acknowledging that the MEU’s General President, Tony Maher, is retiring after 27 years at the helm. Tony has led the MEU through some of the most difficult times the union movement has faced in this country, always rising to the occasion with principle, integrity and determination. He has been an advocate, champion and mentor for thousands of coal workers – myself included.
Tony will remain on the Board of the NZEA and as the chair of Safe Work Australia, the Federal body setting work health and safety standards for the country. We wish him all the best for his well-deserved retirement.
To you and your loved ones, we wish you a happy and safe Christmas and New Year, and are excited to return in 2026 for another successful year.
Grahame Kelly
Mining and Energy Union
