The Mining & Energy Union has defeated BHP's latest attempt to delay the start of Same Job Same Pay orders at three of its Queensland coal mines, with the Federal Court today rejecting BHP's application for a 'stay' on pay rises.
Today's decision means that from this Sunday 14 September, labour hire mineworkers at Goonyella Riverside, Peak Downs and Saraji open cut mines will receive long-overdue annual pay rises to bring them into line with permanent employees doing the same work.
MEU Queensland District President Mitch Hughes said today's decision was a massive win for coal miners and a blow to BHP's delaying tactics.
"BHP has spent millions on lawyers to avoid paying coal miners fairly. Today the Court has once again made it clear: time's up, pay up," said Mr Hughes.
"From Sunday, labour hire mineworkers at BHP's Queensland mines will finally start earning the pay they deserve – the same as the person working next to them, doing the same job."
With BHP's application to delay Same Job Same Pay rejected by the Federal Court, orders issued by the Fair Work Commission will now come into effect for about 1800 employees of WorkPac, Chandler Macleod and Operations Services – lifting their pay to match the BMA Central Agreement. Most will receive annual pay increases in the range of $20,000 to $30,000.
The Operations Services pay rates will change on 14 September; rates for WorkPac and Chandler Macleod will start on 15 September.
However, a BHP appeal against the Fair Work Commission's July 7 decision to apply Same Job Same Pay to employees of BHP's in-house labour hire provider Operations Services is still to be heard in the Federal Court.
Mr Hughes said other major Australian companies had already accepted the new Same Job Same Pay laws – but BHP was still fighting against it for a group of workers who wear BHP-branded uniforms every day.
"Kmart and Qantas have already paid up. Plenty of mining companies have accepted their Same Job Same Pay orders and paid up. BHP has even accepted Same Job Same Pay at its Mt Arthur mine in NSW.
"BHP should drop their appeal. Time's up, pay up."
