Published: 12 Jul 2021
The Coal Industry Long Service Leave scheme is one of the most comprehensive schemes for blue collar workers in the world. However, there are further important improvements needed to strengthen the scheme and remove barriers to all coal miners receiving industry entitlements.
The Mining & Energy Union has made a submission to the Federal Government’s Inquiry into Coal Long Service Leave outlining important changes we believe are needed to strengthen the scheme.
These include ‘stranded’ workers who are recognised as coal mineworkers under the Coal LSL scheme but whose employers refuse to participate; casual mineworkers who don’t have all their work hours counted; and mineworkers struggling to have previous coal industry service recognised.
Some of these issues have been exacerbated by the rapid growth of casualisation and labour hire and decline of direct permanent employment in the coal industry.
We will continue to advocate strongly for improvements to the scheme through legislative change and stronger compliance and enforcement measures.
This submission is intended to outline the issues as we see them and put forward workable solutions. We will always stand up for a long service leave scheme that is national, portable and accessible to all workers in coal mines.