The Mining and Energy Union (MEU) this week has lodged a Same Job Same Pay application in the Fair Work Commission for labour hire mineworkers employed by RStar Mining at Tahmoor Colliery.
It is the first application made in the Illawarra under new laws to prevent labour hire workers being paid less than permanents for performing the same work, where a site enterprise agreement is in place.
The application covers around 290 labour hire workers at the mine which is owned by SIMEC Mining.
The pay difference between labour hire workers and permanent employees at Tahmoor Mine can sometimes be up to $15,000 to $30,000.
MEU NSW South Western District President Bob Timbs said that MEU members from the Illawarra had long been campaigning to change the laws.
"Members have told us that they are excited to see our Union progress the first application for Same Job Same Pay in our region.
"Same Job Same Pay will improve wages and conditions for labour hire workers and prevent them from being treated as second class citizens in their own workplace.
Mr Timbs said that the use of labour hire to cut wages in the coal mining industry had soared in the NSW South Western District.
"In the southern and western regions of NSW, over one third of workers in our industry are now contractor employees.
"Companies have deliberately used labour hire to cut their wages bill and to undercut union agreements in the Illawarra.
"Same Job Same Pay orders will help deliver fairness back to our industry and strengthen the collective agreements that we have fought so hard for."
Once an order from the Fair Work Commission comes into effect it would lift pay of labour hire workers in line with the terms of the Tahmoor Colliery Enterprise Agreement and deliver pay rises to labour hire workers.
The first Same Job Same Pay order from the Fair Work Commission was handed down for Callide mine in Central Queensland last month. The MEU also has other applications currently before the Fair Work Commission.
Pay rises will come into effect from 1 November.
