August 29, 2025
Same Job Same Pay pay rises at one of the largest mines in NSW – Glencore’s Hunter Valley Operations – are finally coming into effect, with new rates to be paid from this Sunday.
Meanwhile, labour hire workers at Queensland BHP mines have been given a long-awaited start date of 14 September, which BHP is desperately trying to further delay.
Workpac and Programmed labour hire workers at Hunter Valley Operations are set to be up to $40,000 a year better off following the dismissal of mine operator Glencore’s legal challenges in the Federal Court.
The MEU’s Same Job Same Pay application, which was made on 4 October 2024, has faced strong opposition from Glencore in the courts.
Along with BHP, Glencore has been one of the most aggressive in its legal challenges against Same Job Same Pay applications. While ultimately unsuccessful in preventing Same Job Same Pay being applied to HVO, Glencore’s legal challenges did delay Workpac and Programmed workers having their pay raised in line with their directly employed workmates – with orders coming into effect some 11 months after our application was made.
Labour hire workers at BHP’s Saraji, Peak Downs and Goonyella Riverside mines in Central Queensland have finally received the news they’ve been waiting for, with the Fair Work Commission issuing Same Job Same Pay orders for their sites and setting 14 September as the date for pay rises to take effect.
These orders follow a decision on 7 July by a full bench of the Fair Work Commission, which found that Operations Services, Workpac and Chandler Macleod labour hire miners at the three mines were eligible for Same Job Same Pay.
Thanks to these orders thousands of labour hire workers are set to receive a pay rise of around $30,000 a year, in line with their BHP-employed workmates. We estimate that this is around $66 million dollars a year being returned to workers and our mining communities.
BHP wasted no time telling workers they would seek a stay on implementing the orders, while the appeal the Fair Work Commission’s 7 July decision in favour of Same Job Same Pay.
Read the BHP Central Queensland Member Update here.
At this stage, 14 September is the date for new rate of pay to be applied for Operations Services workers at the three mines; and 15 September is the date for new rates to be applied for Workpac and Chandler Macleod employees, in line with pay cycles. Pay rises will be received in the first pay packet after that.
We are hopeful of defeating BHP’s application for a stay on the orders, meaning pay rises will soon be flowing! BHP has undertaken to provide backpay for Same Job Same Pay rates to 7 July, when the Fair Work Commission decision was made, however have not indicated when this may be paid.
We will keep up the fight and keep members up to date with legal developments.