Groundbreaking ‘Same Job Same Pay’ win for MEU

The Mining and Energy Union is hailing its first major 'Same Job Same Pay' win, with 27 labour hire workers at Mount Pleasant coal mine offered permanent jobs with pay rises of more than $30,000 a year. It comes as the MEU’s Same Job Same Pay application for labour hire workers at Batchfire’s Callide Mine in Central Queensland is waiting to be determined by the Fair Work Commission. The MEU made a Same Job Same Pay application to the Fair Work Commission in March for Programmed labour hire mineworkers at the Mount Pleasant mine in New South Wales, operated by Thiess. The MEU has withdrawn the application after Thiess agreed to directly employ the Programmed workers in scope of the proposed Same Job Same Pay order. “This is a terrific outcome for these workers and an important step towards restoring wage justice across the mining industry,” MEU Northern Mining and NSW Energy district president Robin Williams said. “For years, these labour hire workers have been getting pay packets over $30,000 a year less than permanents doing the same work. “The mine operator has responded to our application by agreeing to employ them directly. Now, not only will they get the same pay as the permanent employees they work next to, they will also get the same job security, conditions and entitlements. “A goal of the new laws is to remove the economic incentive to outsource permanent jobs to lower-paid labour hire. It’s fantastic seeing the laws lifting pay and job security as intended.” Mr Williams said there had been an increase in mine operators offering permanent jobs to labour hire workers since Same Job Same Pay laws were introduced. The ACTU said the 27 Hunter Valley labour hire coal miners were the first direct beneficiaries of the Albanese Government’s labour hire laws, which passed Parliament in December 2023 as part of the Closing Loopholes legislation. “Winning these permanent jobs and better wages for coal miners would not be possible without the Albanese Government’s workplace laws, which closed the labour hire loophole that companies exploit to underpay workers," ACTU acting secretary Liam O’Brien said. “Working people are being underpaid and exploited by labour hire companies across Australia. This case sets a precedent for other labour hire workers to also be paid fairly and win secure, permanent jobs."

Groundbreaking ‘Same Job Same Pay’ win for MEU

Industry Queensland

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