May 16, 2022
We need to change the government to stop mining companies using labour hire to cut wages and job security. This election is our opportunity.
Our union has run a strong campaign to highlight and fix the crisis of casualisation and labour hire wage-cutting in the mining industry.
It was great to see members and their families out and about on May Day, sharing our message.
Same Job Same Pay‘ laws would make it unlawful for employers – including big mining companies – to pay labour hire workers less than direct employees doing the same work. For mineworkers, that would mean you can’t be paid less than the person next to you just for being labour hire.
Removing the ability for employers to undercut existing site Enterprise Agreements would take away the economic incentive to outsource jobs that should be permanently and directly employed by the mine operator.
Federal Labor has committed to introducing ‘Same Job Same Pay‘ under their Secure Australian Jobs Plan.
Labor has also committed to an objective test based on work arrangements to determine if a worker can be classified as casual – not just the words in the contract.
These are major changes which would turn the tide on years of attacks on the wages and job security of mineworkers.
To vote for Same Job Same Pay, we need to vote out the Morrison Government. With the support of One Nation, they overturned our court wins for casuals and they have rejected Same Job Same Pay laws.
Voting for Same Job Same Pay means voting Labor – or, if you prefer to vote independent or minor party, putting your Liberal or National candidate last.
If we don’t take this opportunity to change the government, we will be in a much worse position to fight mining companies’ efforts to cut pay and permanent jobs. It’s up to all of us.