Time's up, pay up! 500 mineworkers rally for Same Job Same Pay at BHP AGM

Mining and Energy Union

Almost 500 mineworkers rallied outside the BHP AGM this morning calling on the mining giant to stop fighting ‘same job same pay’ ahead of the new laws coming into effect on Friday.

Mining and Energy Union General President Grahame Kelly told the crowd that while BHP updated shareholders on their impressive profits inside the meeting, the figures were built on exploitation of labour hire workers.

“BHP has been a leader in the destructive practice of outsourcing permanent jobs to casual labour hire to cut wages and job security, including setting up their own in-house labour hire Operations Services.

“These workers at coal mines in Queensland wear a BHP shirt and do the same work as permanent BHP employees but are employed through OS and paid $30,000 less, with worse conditions.

“Even worse, BHP prioritises employment of women and indigenous workers into these lower paid jobs.”

Mr Kelly said BHP should follow the example of other major corporates like Qantas and Kmart who have accepted that new laws no longer allow them to use labour hire to undercut pay and conditions.

MEU Queensland District President Mitch Hughes said that since BHP introduced their in-house labour hire provider Operations Services six years ago, they continually breached their legal obligations and had lost numerous legal cases.

“BHP need to come clean with their shareholders about how much money they have spent, and continue to spend in trying to fight us instead of doing the right thing.

“BHP would be better off getting rid of the OS model and employing those workers under the existing site Agreements.

“And we won’t apologise for getting workers a wage increase that they deserve for doing the same job as BHP’s permanent workers under existing Agreements.

“It’s not only the right thing to do, it would also be cheaper for BHP to do the right thing. Because whenever they step out of line, we’re there to challenge them. And when they do it again, we’ll be there.”

BHP is challenging applications by the Mining and Energy Union for ‘Same Job Same Pay’ orders at three of its Queensland coal mines – Goonyella Riverside, Saraji and Peak Downs.

Coal miner and former BHP OS worker Brodie Allen attended today’s rally saying it was one of the best days of his life when BHP sold the mine he works at.

“All the OS employees were employed directly by the new mine owner, on the same pay as our workmates doing the same work. After years of being paid $30k less than others doing the same work, it was a great relief.

“Our mine still operates efficiently and profitably but with less division in the workforce and better morale. If the mine I work at can do it, so can BHP. It’s time for BHP to embrace Same Job Same Pay.”

The rally was accompanied by a pipe band workers chanted ‘Same Job Same Pay’, ‘Time’s Up Pay Up’ and ‘Hey hey, ho ho, OS has got to go.’

Photos: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1TFcALWPxdpM_nazUFeFPNsez2m_z_LPB?usp=drive_link

media@meu.org.au