News

One Nation Senators have done a deal with the Morrison Government so that just 24 hours’ notice is needed for workers to vote on important changes to Enterprise Agreements.

Previously, seven days’ notice was required for workers to vote on any EA changes, to allow time for discussion and consultation.

Yesterday, Pauline Hanson and Malcolm Roberts voted against Labor’s disallowance motion to the Government’s new regulation allowing EA changes to be rushed through.

Peabody’s Coppabella and Middlemount mines in Central Queensland are among the first coal mines starting to cut jobs citing falling demand and prices for coal due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Union is calling on mining companies to do everything possible to retain jobs, including those of labour hire workers and contractors, and not simply cut people loose at the first sign of a slowdown.

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 in the wake of last week’s horror accident at Grosvenor Coal Mine.

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

Congratulations to this year’s crop of successful Mineworkers Trust Scholarship recipients. Twenty students across the country have been awarded the $6250 scholarship to support their studies. However, just as the academic year got underway the COVID-19 pandemic has interrupted their studies.

Georgia Hughes was just three weeks into her Bachelor of Paramedicine studies at Australian Catholic University in Melbourne when face to face learning was suspended and she has moved to online learning.

The Illawarra is mourning the loss of Fred Love, who passed away on April 19, aged 73.

Fred started working at South Clifton Colliery in 1972, and after a year at South Bulli, returned to South Clifton until its closure in 1983. From 1988 he worked at Westcliff, finishing up in 1998.
Former General Secretary Barry Swan, and Central Councillor, Kevin Wiseman, have shared some of their memories of Fred Love. Kevin worked with Fred at South Clifton.

The full bench of the Fair Work Commission has upheld CFMEU Mining and Energy’s appeal against the approval of two enterprise agreements covering workers employed by BHP’s in-house labour hire provider Operations Services.

The CFMEU is aware an event that occurred underground at Anglo’s Grosvenor Mine this afternoon.

Union safety inspectors are attending the site and will undertake a thorough, independent investigation into causes of what appears to be an ignition of gas on the longwall face.

CFMEU Mining and Energy Queensland District President Stephen Smyth said the immediate priority was taking care of affected workers.

“Our thoughts and prayers are with the injured workers and their families, and all the workers at Grosvenor affected by today’s events,” he said.

In World War 1, the war on the Western Front of Europe was extensively fought underground. A massive network of tunnels was constructed by both sides. They were not only used to provide protection away from surface conflict; deep mines were constructed beneath enemy lines, the shafts filled with explosives and detonated, causing mass fatalities and destruction.

The Miners’ Union is calling on all Queensland coal mine operators to take a long-term view of the industry’s continued operation during the COVID-19 pandemic and implement the strictest protocols even if there are short-term impacts on production.

New provisions introduced by the Morrison Government to fast track changes to Enterprise Agreements will tempt mining companies to use the COVID-19 crisis to drive down conditions in the industry, the Miners' Union said.