December 20, 2024
Membership has grown by over 2000 in a successful first year for our standalone Mining and Energy Union.
Last December marked the end of a lengthy and complex process to withdraw from the amalgamated CFMEU and the start of our journey as the independent Mining and Energy Union.
In the past 12 months our Union has gone from strength to strength. Our long campaign to stamp out the labour hire rort has seen Same Job Same Pay laws introduced, pay rises start to flow and permanent jobs increase.
Our advocacy for co-ordinated national support for power station workers and communities has seen the establishment of a new independent Authority with powers to redeploy displaced workers.
We’ve established a sturdy foothold in the Pilbara, formed a new Alliance to cover hard rock miners in western NSW and beefed up our national organising and training capacity to grow our numbers and skill up our delegates to represent them.
Around the country, members are standing together to win improved conditions in their workplaces and enforce them.
Our first national Convention as an independent Union in late October was a great success, involving a record number of delegates and setting our direction for the next four years.
Workplace reforms introduced by the Albanese Government to get wages moving have not only delivered Same Job Same Pay, but also a wide range of improvements to bargaining and job security as well as beefing up rights for union delegates. These reforms help us even the playing field dealing with mining and energy employers, who some of the most ruthless around.
In the past year we’ve seen our membership numbers grow by more than 2000 nationally which is a very encouraging sign that we are heading in the right direction. Of course, we want to keep growing until we have strong density in every mining and energy workplace that we can cover.
I’m excited for 2025, to build on our growth and success of 2024. An important focus in the first half of the year will be re-electing the Albanese Government and ensuring our important wins like Same Job Same Pay, delegates’ rights and support for energy workers aren’t wound back by a Dutton Government. There was unanimous agreement at our National Convention that we can’t risk that.
On behalf of our national leadership team I’d like to thank MEU Officials, Staff, Delegates and Members for their hard work and support in 2024. Our thanks also go to the partner organisations who support our members so well.
We wish you all a safe and happy Christmas and New Year and look forward to working with you to meet the challenges and seize the opportunities 2025 brings.
Grahame Kelly is the General Secretary of the Mining and Energy Union