July 29, 2026
The MEU has scored some important wins at this month’s ALP National Conference, with commitments in the platform for long-term support for coal communities and workers facing energy transition; and recognition of the positive contribution of coal workers and coal communities.
The ALP national platform provides a statement of Labor’s beliefs, values and programs for government. It outlines priorities for the Labor Government over the coming years, and will influence the laws that are passed over the next term of government.
MEU delegates backed in the ACTU’s package of amendments, which will be significant wins for the broader labour movement, when enacted.
Most relevant to MEU members is the commitment to closing the sham traineeship loophole that some employers are using to skirt the Same Job Same Pay laws that MEU members fought so hard for. Under this platform amendment, employers would only be exempted from paying Same Job Same Pay rates in cases of genuine traineeships – meaning when the worker is undertaking actual training, not just classified as a ‘trainee’.
Unions also won a commitment to amend lockout laws to prevent employers from punishing workers with disproportionately long lockouts, as we’ve seen at Wambo Washery and Helensburgh. Under the platform amendment, Unions would be empowered to apply to the Fair Work Commission for orders to suspend disproportionate employer response action during industrial disputes. Many MEU members have experienced lockouts when bargaining for new agreements and know that extended lockouts are one of the worst acts of industrial bastardry the bosses can pull. This amendment provides an avenue to ensuring lockouts must be in proportion to protected industrial action taken by wokers, provides oversight from a third party, and gives workers an avenue to challenge their boss’s unfair actions.
The movement also won a commitment to reestablish dedicated Fair Work Court, to streamline the resolution of industrial disputes – particularly underpayments, which could take years to address in the mainstream court system. We also removed more barriers to multi-employer bargaining, and will crack down on sham-unions, set up to mislead workers into signing away their workplace rights.
We will join with the union movement in continued advocacy to make sure these commitments in the platform become law as soon as possible.
Broader wins include a further commitment to the Future Made in Australia agenda, to ensure it delivers new industries, training and secure, well-paid union jobs – particularly to regional Australians – and a publicly owned energy supplier to provide cheaper electricity to the heavy industry created in coming years. Finally, Member for Hunter and MEU member Dan Repacholi made an important contribution, ensuring a dedicated commitment to men’s health is included in the ALP platform for the first time.
The decisions made at the 2026 ALP National Conference, when enacted, will ensure a fairer, more prosperous future for working Australians. We are proud of the contributions of the MEU and the broader Union movement and will continue to advocate for reforms to benefit our members, their families and their communities.
Grahame Kelly
General President