With champagne corks still popping in celebration of its record $23 Billion profit, BHP seems more determined than ever to build its expanding super-profit base at the expense of its mineworkers and their families.

In the present negotiations around a new EA at its seven Central Queensland coal operations, BHP is demanding a whole raft of changes that would severely impact on working families already coping with the demands placed on them by the company.

Queensland District President Stephen Smyth says that BHP is pushing for mineworkers to work more than rostered overtime at the direction of the company.

“They also want greater control over non-working days to compel workers to turn up if the company decides it needs them.

“And, incredibly, they are bitterly fighting our demand that Christmas Day and Boxing Day remain as the only whole of mine non-working days. So much for their concern for families and our communities”.

Stephen Smyth also hit out at BHP CEO Marius Kloppers attacking workers while announcing the company’s record $US23.68 Billion profit – up a staggering 86%.

“Here we had the CEO of the most profitable company in the history of Australia announcing a profit that amounts to $64.8 million a day claiming, and I quote – ‘labour has become more expensive and unbalanced. It has become less efficient’. “Fair dinkum, are they ever satisfied?”, said Stephen Smyth.

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