The Miners’ Union is calling on all Senators to back a motion being moved by Labor’s Murray Watt today, calling on the Morrison Government to crack down on the widespread use of ‘permanent casual’ employment in mining.
The motion calls on the Senate to note the rapid growth of ‘permanent casual’ employment in mining and calls on the Morrison Government to withdraw from the WorkPac High Court case which seeks to deny compensation to full-time mineworkers unlawfully employed as casuals.
CFMEU National President Tony Maher said politicians should respect two Federal Court judgments which have ruled that mineworkers on full-time permanent hours with advance rosters are not genuine casuals and are therefore owed permanent entitlements like paid leave.
“For the best part of a decade now, mining companies have been replacing quality, permanent mining jobs with casual labour hire jobs on less pay and with no benefits.
“It’s a rort and the Federal Court has called it out, twice.
“The WorkPac decisions were finally a common sense outcome for workers in the face of multinational mining companies’ greed. If you work full-time on an Australian mine you should get the conditions you’re legally entitled to as an Australian worker, like sick leave and holidays. It’s that simple.
“It’s extremely disappointing that the Morrison Government has intervened in the High Court case to prevent unlawfully exploited mineworkers from seeking compensation.
“Employers are pressuring the Government to introduce a definition of casual that would legalise this unfair and exploitative practice.
“I hope all Senators – especially those who have campaigned on supporting coal miners – will support this common sense motion today. Coal miners will certainly be taking notice of who is really in their corner.”
CFMEU Mining and Energy is currently running TV ads in mining regions on this issue, to raise awareness about rights that have been won for casual miners now being under threat.
Background about casuals in mining and the Federal Court decisions can be found here.
