Howard’s grab for coal Long Service Leave is highway robbery
While the Howard Government has been rocked by the public’s great response to the ACTU campaign in support of workers rights, it is still intent on pushing through its repressive anti-worker laws and our Union’s members are well its sights.
Howard has already announced the abolition of Long Service Leave from federal awards. For coal mineworkers in Queensland, NSW, WA and Tasmania, Long Service Leave entitlements are covered by our federal Coal Mining Industry Award. It has been so since coal miners broke through as the first blue collar workers in 1949 to win this entitlement.
If Howard is allowed to push this through, coal mineworkers will lose tens of millions of dollars in future entitlements. So too will other workers, such as nurses, whose Long Service Leave is covered by federal awards.
This is not reform – it is highway robbery.
The issue was well covered in an in-depth feature on ABC TV’s 7.30 Report on 2 August. The situation of coal miners and nurses Long Service Leave was used as examples of how Howard’s new repressive IR laws would undermine existing entitlements. The 7.30 Report featured Gunnedah miner Ross Whitaker, who has 28 years service in the coal industry and has never taken a day of his Long Service Leave. Under our existing federal award provisions, Ross is entitled to 46-weeks Long Service Leave pay. Under the State Act covering him, Ross would only be entitled to 24-weeks pay!
There are thousands more like Ross Whitaker and there will be even thousands more in the future who face the prospect of having their Long Service Leave entitlements stolen from them if the Howard Government is allowed to get away with it.
Our Union will not stand idly by and see our members, our families and our communities robbed. We’ve got a clear message for Howard and his Government – Get your hands out of coal miners pockets and leave our entitlements alone.
Meanwhile, coal boom fuels soaring billion dollar profits for mining companies
While the Howard Government is planning to rob hard working Australian coal mineworkers of tens of millions of dollars, the mining companies that employ our members are hauling in record billion dollar profits.
At the time of writing, Rio Tinto has just announced a record $A2.82 Billion profit for the first six-months of this year, putting it well on track for a $5 Billion plus profit for the year.
Xstrata has just announced a record $A1.04 Billion profit for the first six-months of the year, up 73% on the previous period.
Towards the end of August, BHP will announce a record profit of around $8 Billion.
Staggering, eh, and the profits are predicted to keep soaring as rising coal prices continue to kick in.
According to the latest forecasts by the Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics (ABARE), mining companies operating in Australia will continue to benefit from the present boom as they are set to share in a record $84.4 billion of sales in 2005-2006.
Coking coal exports are expected to rise 57% to $18.2 billion, while thermal coal exports are tipped to improve 16% to $7.5 billion. Iron ore exports are expected to rise 60% to $13 billion.
It seems unbelievable that at a time when the mining industry has never been more profitable and mineworkers have never been more productive, that our entitlements are under sustained attack. But then after nine years of the Howard Government, this is what we have come to expect.
Howard only delivers for the big end of town. Despite the rhetoric, the Howard Government doesn’t care about workers and our families nor does it give a fig about other ordinary decent Australians.
That’s why, in the face of the ACTU’s magnificent workers rights campaign, Howard is lining up to spend over $20 million of taxpayers money on an advertising campaign in a desperate attempt to justify his new repressive laws.
This is akin to a victim being made pay for the gun that is to be held to his head as he is robbed.
If Howard wants to splash out $20 million on this campaign it is his business mates who ought to be funding it and not ordinary taxpayers!
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Rebuilding Australia after the boom |
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March 2009
The years of constant rapid growth in the mining industry have
finished. Significant job cuts are being announced. The world’s
financial system continues to be in turmoil - but it's not all doom and gloom, finds General President Tony Maher.
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Tony Maher on SkyTV's Eco Report |
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9 February 2008
Tony Maher was interviewed on by Willessee on SkyTV's Eco Report regarding carbon capture and storage technologies and cleaning up the emissions of the coal industry.
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UN Climate Conference, Bali |
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14 December 2007
President Tony Maher had the honour of representing trade unions worldwide when he addressed the UN Climate Conference in Bali, Indonesia.
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Mythbusters in the Mining Industry |
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19 July 2007
President Tony Maher's speech to a Recruitment and Retention in Mining Conference:
Mythbusters in the Mining Industry
Will Employee Rights see off the Mining Boom?
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Tony Maher videos on John Howard and climate change |
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March 2007
The union has made use of the video-sharing website YouTube to present two short videos by Tony Maher, General President. The first recounts the long history of attacks on mineworkers by Prime Minister John Howard. The second is on the continuing role for coal in a world combating climate change.
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WorkChoices & the future of unions |
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20 November 2006
Speech by Tony Maher, General President, to the IQPC Industrial Relations Summit in Sydney.
"No doubt some will say that the next election will be a referendum on whether or not unions have a future. "
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What is the future of work safety? |
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20 October 2006
Tony Maher speaks to the IR Society of Victoria about the disaster at the Gretley Colliery nearly 10 years ago and considers the future of work safety.
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John Maitland's retirement |
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17 August 2006
With John Maitland’s retirement we pay tribute to the last of the original architects of the CFMEU.
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Work Choices? What do I really think about it? |
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Tony Maher, General President
Address to the NSW IR Society, 5 April 2006:
"I’d like to thank John Howard for Work choices. It has reminded people
in the labour movement why we were formed, what we stand for and why we
hate these Tory bastards so much." |
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Book launch: Lockout |
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12 April 2006
"Nothing reveals the huge imbalance in power between capital and labour as sharply as a lockout."
Launch of the book “Lockout” by Jim Comerford.
Speech to Northern District delegates and retired mineworkers, Cessnock, NSW
by Tony Maher, General President, CFMEU Mining & Energy
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Union Gears Up For Long Term Campaign |
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Tony Maher, June 2005
The union is preparing for a campaign lasting at least 6 years to fight
for workers rights and a system of fairness throughout the community.
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