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Tag: CFMEU

Moranbah North re-entry risk assessed

Written by dev on . Posted in All News, Coal, Energy.

Anglo American is starting procedures to re-enter its Moranbah North underground mine with a risk assessment.

It follows evidence of elevated gas levels detected on the weekend of February 20. A senior executive at the time referred to a 'coal heating event'.

The company said it has had internal and external experts working to determine the cause.

Methane levels within standards

The company stressed methane levels on the longwall were well within the regulatory levels during the incident.

B. . .

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Oaky North industrial dispute leads to charges

Written by dev on . Posted in All News, Coal, Energy.

The Fair Work Ombudsman is taking legal action against the CFMEU and five officials for incidents during an Oaky North coal mine dispute more than three years ago.

It is alleged that the union and each of the officials contravened the Fair Work Act by engaging in and encouraging abusive conduct that amounted to adverse action and coercion during an industrial dispute at the mine.

The CFMEU's mining and energy division has indicated it will defend the charges but is making. . .

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Miners vote to split from ‘chest-beating’ CFMEU

Written by dev on . Posted in All News, Coal, Energy.

  • Updated March 2 - 3PM

The mining and energy division of the CFMEU has resolved to break away from the broader union in a unanimous vote at their national convention.

A statement supporting the resolution at the 2021 Mining and Energy Division National Convention noted there was 'there was nothing of substance' that remaining in the broader amalgamated union could offer.

"Once it could offer serious political influence and a campaigning capacity that was used to benefit the position of all Australian. . .

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Union survey highlights Operations Services gripes

Written by dev on . Posted in All News, Coal, Energy.

A mineworkers' union says a survey has shown only 4 per cent of those employed by BHP’s Operations Services are satisfied that their wages and conditions stack up with Queensland coal industry standards.

It comes as the mining giant tries to lock in their substandard conditions with fresh Enterprise Agreements, CFMEU Mining and Energy says.

Queensland President Stephen Smyth said the survey results should send a clear message to BHP that it was time to negotiate a better deal with their Operations Services (OS) Queensland coal workforce. 

Mr Smyth said the union was pushing to get BHP to. . .

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Axe falls on 100 jobs at troubled coal mine

Written by dev on . Posted in All News, Coal, Energy.

Anglo American will cut about 100 jobs at the Grosvenor mine, five months after an explosion that injured five men and brought longwall operations to a halt.

Expressions of interest for voluntary redundancies have been open at the site for the last few weeks.

CFMEU Mining and Energy district president Stephen Smyth has used the job cuts to again blast the practice of casualisation and outsourcing, which he said made it easier for companies like Anglo to simply discard workers when they were not wanted anymore. 

“All of us in the industry have been shaken by the terrible events of. . .

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Union hails Senate win on ‘permanent casual’ jobs

Written by dev on . Posted in All News, Coal, Energy, Mining People.

A key mining union has welcomed Senate support for a motion calling on the Morrison Government to crack down on the widespread use of ‘permanent casual’ employment in mining.

The motion noted the rapid growth of ‘permanent casual’ employment in mining and called on the Federal Government to withdraw from a WorkPac High Court case on the issue.

CFMEU Mining and Energy Queensland president Stephen Smyth said thousands of permanent jobs had been casualised across the state’s coal fields and Queensland politicians needed to act urgently to stamp out the ‘permanent casual’ rort. 

“We are disappointed the. . .

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Coal safety boss grilled on union cold-shoulder concerns

Written by dev on . Posted in All News, Coal.

Queensland's Chief Inspector of Coal Mines has denied allegations of a deteriorating relationship with union check inspectors or pushing them out of investigations.

Peter Newman was giving evidence on day two of the public hearings of the Coal Mining Board of Inquiry, called after an explosion at Grosvenor mine in May injured five men. 

He was questioned extensively on Mines Inspectorate interactions with the CFMEU's industry safety and health representatives (ISHRs) and site safety and health representatives (SSHRs) - also known as check inspectors.

. . .

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Fair Work win in union fight over BHP labour model

Written by dev on . Posted in All News, Coal, Processing / Manufacturing.

The miners' union has claimed a victory in its battle against BHP over its Operations Services workforce conditions.

The Fair Work Commission this week upheld an appeal against approval of the enterprise agreements covering Operations Services staff over concerns they weren’t genuinely agreed by workers. 

It was an interim decision allowing BHP seven days to decide whether it will make further oral submissions to the Fair Work Commission on the enterprise agreements.

The CFMEU says the two agreements were voted on by a small number of iron ore workers in Western Australia before being applied to a growing Operations. . .

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Calls to fast-track industrial manslaughter laws

Written by dev on . Posted in All News, Coal, Energy.

The miners’ union has called on the Queensland Government to bring forward the passage of new laws extending industrial manslaughter offences to the state’s mining industry.

It comes in the wake of last week’s accident at Grosvenor coal mine. 

CFMEU Mining and Energy Queensland President Stephen Smyth has written to Queensland Mines Minister Anthony Lynham calling for the urgent progression and passing of the Mineral and Energy Resources and other Legislation Amendment Bill 2020. 

The new legislation would. . .

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BHP Operations Services model faces legal scrutiny

Written by dev on . Posted in All News, Coal, Energy, Processing / Manufacturing.

Employment agreements covering BHP's Operations Services arm will go back before the courts after a union win in the Fair Work Commission on Friday.

The commission upheld an appeal by a raft of unions against the approval of two enterprise agreements covering workers employed by the in-house division.

CFMEU National President Tony Maher described the decision as a setback to BHP’s strategy of cutting wages by employing people on non-union agreements through an in-house labour hire provider.

“BHP already has perfectly good enterprise agreements in place at its coal operations and their Operations Services employees. . .

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Critically injured miners airlifted after explosion

Written by dev on . Posted in All News, Coal, Energy.

Five workers have been airlifted to Brisbane after suffering serious burns in an underground explosion at Grosvenor coal mine near Moranbah.

Union sources say an ignition of gas on the longwall face was believed to have caused the explosion, which occurred about 3.15pm yesterday.

The injured men were taken to Moranbah Hospital with significant burns to the upper torso and airways, the Queensland Ambulance Service said.

Four were described as critically ill and one in a serious condition when a fleet of three RACQ Lifeflight Rescue Air Ambulance jets and two RFDS planes transported them for treatment at the. . .

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New Acland coal expansion battle continues

Written by dev on . Posted in All News, Coal, Energy.

The CFMEU has joined the Queensland Resources Council in calling for the State Government to act on approvals for New Hope's coal operations near Oakey.

It comes as the Oakey Coal Action Alliance (OCAA) seeks leave to appeal to the High Court over the Stage 3 expansion of the New Acland coal mine.

New Hope says OCAA’s application does not change the position that there is no barrier to the State Government giving final approvals for the project.

CFMEU
Queensland Mining and Energy District President Stephen Smyth said the Government
must stand up for workers.

“This has
gone. . .

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Time for talk is over, says mining union boss

Written by dev on . Posted in All News, Coal, Energy.

The threat of
significant jail time is a necessary part of new industrial manslaughter legislation
for the Queensland resources sector, the CFMEU says.

CFMEU Mining and Energy Queensland President Stephen Smyth was commenting after Mines and Energy Minister Anthony Lynham said the new laws would be going before Parliament next year, with penalties including up to 20 years in jail.

"Time for talking  is over," Mr Smyth said.

"There has to be firm action taken and the government has the ability to do that and they need to do that.

"I'm sick of it. People go. . .

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Welcome boost for $1b Moranbah coal project

Written by dev on . Posted in All News, Coal, Energy.

Whitehaven Coal’s planned Winchester South coal mine near Moranbah will deliver hundreds of coal mining jobs and boost the Central Queensland economy for decades, CFMEU Mining & Energy said today.

CFMEU Mining & Energy Queensland President Stephen Smyth welcomed the Queensland Government’s announcement that the $1 billion project would be declared a co-ordinated project, streamlining approvals.

If approved,
the project is estimated to commence construction in 2021, with the first coal
extraction proposed for 2023.

“This announcement means the Winchester South Coal Operations proposal has passed the major hurdles. . .

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Politicians challenged to back coal workers’ pledge

Written by dev on . Posted in All News, Coal, Energy.

CFMEU Mining & Energy’s Queensland District is calling on federal election candidates to make a pledge backing coal and the workers the industry supports.

It has also appealed to stop turning mining proposals like Adani's Carmichael coal project becoming 'political footballs'.

“Coal mining plays an important role in Queensland’s economy and we need political representatives who recognise the importance of the industry to creating jobs and supporting communities,” said district president Stephen Smyth.

. . .

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