August 29, 2024
We have continued filing applications under new laws to prevent labour hire workers being paid less than permanents, including our first application in the Illawarra.
First application in the Illawarra at Tahmoor Mine
Earlier this month, our Union lodged a Same Job Same Pay application in the Fair Work Commission for labour hire mineworkers employed by RStar Mining at Tahmoor Mine.
It is the first application made in the Illawarra under new Same Job Same Pay laws and covers around 290 labour hire workers at the mine which is owned by SIMEC Mining.
The pay difference between labour hire workers and permanent employees at Tahmoor Mine can sometimes be up to $15,000 to $30,000.
MEU NSW South Western District President Bob Timbs said that MEU members from the Illawarra had long been campaigning to change the laws.
“Members have told us that they are excited to see our Union progress the first application for Same Job Same Pay in our region.
“In the southern and western regions of NSW, over one third of workers in our industry are now contractor employees.”
Once an order from the Fair Work Commission comes into effect it would lift the pay of labour hire workers in line with the terms of the Tahmoor Colliery Enterprise Agreement and deliver pay rises to labour hire workers.
Boggabri Coal will not contest union application for Same Job Same Pay
One Key and Boggabri Coal announced this month that they would not contest the MEU application for Same Job Same Pay covering around 50 One Key labour hire coal mineworkers at Boggabri in the Fair Work Commission.
The pay difference between labour hire workers and permanent employees at Boggabri Mine can sometimes be up to $15,000.
This is welcome news as it means that the case will be decided without One Key and Boggabri Coal fighting against a Same Job Same Pay order.
An order would lift pay of labour hire workers in line with the terms of the Boggabri Coal Operations Enterprise Agreement and deliver pay rises to labour hire workers performing the same work as directly employed workers.
First wins and more applications
These developments come off the back of our first wins.
Programmed labour hire workers at the Hunter Valley’s Mount Pleasant mine became the first beneficiaries of Same Job Same Pay laws when Thiess has offered Programmed workers direct employment in response to the MEU’s Same Job Same Pay application to the Fair Work Commission.
Hundreds of labour hire workers at Batchfire’s Callide mine at Biloela in Central Queensland are also in line for a pay rise after the Fair Work Commission made the historic decision to issue the first order under new Same Job Same Pay laws on 1 July.
Next steps
Pay rises will come into effect from 1 November for orders that have already been made. After 1 November, pay rises will come into effect on the date an order is made.
There are various applications for Same Job Same Pay currently before the Fair Work Commission.