AWU: Mining Lobby's Anti-Union Push Risks Extremism

The Australian Workers' Union will today move a resolution on the opening day of its national conference in Perth warning Rio Tinto, BHP, and the mining lobby that its hyper-aggressive campaign against conventional union activity in the Pilbara risks mining's social license and is encouraging more extreme politics among blue collar workers. The resolution "calls on BHP, Rio Tinto, and the Minerals Council to reassess its ultra-aggressive and misleading campaign against the WMWA and recognise that it is socially and politically unsustainable to extract billions in profit from Pilbara resources, whilst treating Pilbara workers with disrespect." The resolution also "calls on BHP, Rio Tinto, and the Minerals Council to recognise how their disproportionately aggressive campaigning against mainstream unions and reasonable enterprise agreements in the Pilbara is contributing to the rise of disillusionment and political extremism among blue collar Australians" A separate resolution calls on the mining industry and governments to introduce regulation on silica exposure that would bring mining into line with stonemasonry and tunnelling to mitigate the current risk of silicosis. AWU National Secretary Paul Farrow said both resolutions were critical to the union's agenda. "The sooking we've seen from BHP and Rio Tinto about very normal union activity in the Pilbara is testament to how much they've been allowed to get away with in recent years," Mr Farrow said. "They're having a tough time coming to terms with the fact we now have an Australian Government that wants to help real Australians – instead of just being the obedient servant of mining corporate interests. "I think the resources lobby has actually started to believe their own overblown tales of woe. They're getting high on their own supply and they've lost sight of the big picture. If they want to maintain the very profitable social license they have been granted by Australia to exploit our mineral wealth, they need to make sure that the Australians they employ are shown genuine respect. "BHP and Rio like to make out that everyone in iron ore mining is making great money and it's a total lie. In reality, as ore prices reached all-time highs in recent years, the pay rises offered by BHP and Rio to most Pilbara workers didn't even keep pace with inflation. "Pilbara mine workers used to enjoy coverage under enterprise agreements and that's the situation we need to get back to. The current situation is completely out of balance. "Rio Tinto's hiding in legal loopholes is pure cowardice. You would think this company might be interested in restoring their tattered reputation in this country." AWU WA Secretary Brad Gandy said falling into line with national safety standards on silica would be an excellent place for the mining sector to start in repairing its damaged relationship with workers. "Over the past year we have seen all States and Territories agree to ban the production and supply of high-risk engineered stone products and regulation about exposure to silica in tunnelling. But employers in mining are hiding behind the use of separate laws to regulate this industry to uphold outdated and inadequate WHS standards," Mr Gandy said. "Mining workers deserve the same level of protection as workers in other industries. The AWU will keep fighting until it has secured justice for all workers exposed to silica-related harms."