November 4, 2024
Over 600 labour hire coal miners in NSW and Queensland will see their pay packets increase significantly this week due to Same Job Same Pay laws that took effect on Friday.
The Fair Work Commission issued Regulated Labour Hire Arrangement Orders covering Coppabella, German Creek, Poitrel (Queensland) and Boggabri (NSW) mines on Friday, to take effect from today. These are in addition to an order previously issued for Callide mine, which took effect from Friday.
The orders were all made following applications by the Mining and Energy Union.
Cumulatively, the orders made so far are estimated to deliver approximately $17 million in annual pay rises for the affected labour hire workers.
Applications for a further 19 coal mines are still before the Fair Work Commission.
Queensland labour hire coal mine operator Tania Henshall is one of those who will see her pay increase from this week, with a pay rise in the vicinity of $20,000 a year.
“This is life changing for a labour hire worker like me. I do the same job and face the same level of risk as permanent workers. This pay rise means I can support my family with education costs.”
MEU General Secretary Grahame Kelly said more applications would follow.
“Pay rises will start to flow to labour hire workers in their next pay packet. This is a great milestone.
“We will continue to make Same Job Same Pay applications at mine sites and work towards stamping out the labour hire rort that has allowed big mining companies to drive down pay, conditions and job security.”
The sites already receiving Same Job Same Pay are:
Callide, QLD: Our first successful Same Job Same Pay order, this has lifted the pay of about 350 Workpac labour hire workers at Callide Batchfire mine near Biloela by $10,000 – $20,000 a year.
Boggabri, NSW: Our first successful application in NSW, this order will lift the pay of about 50 OneKey workers by up to $15,000 a year at Boggabri mine near Gunnedah.
Lake Lindsay, QLD: This order is lifting the pay of 70 Workpac and Mobilise Group labour hire workers by up to $55,000 a year at Anglo American’s Lake Lindsay/German Creek operation.
Coppabella, QLD: This order is lifting the pay of around 25 labour hire workers employed by Workpac and Protech GPS by $10,000 to $20,000 a year.
Poitrel, QLD: 90 Workpac labour hire workers have gotten pay rises of around $60,000 a year at Stanmore’s Poitrel mine.