Workers in seven coal mines in central Queensland plan to stop work this weekend as the campaign to negotiate an Enterprise Agreement with BHP moves into a second round of protected industrial action.

The CFMEU and the other unions in the Single Bargaining Unit (SBU) – AMWU and ETU – have been in meetings with the company, but our Queensland District President, Steve Smyth, says that talks failed to meet the union’s expectations and workers may walk off the job at  Blackwater mine on Friday night.

The same action may be taken at other mines in the group.

He told the ABC “It’s disappointing that the company is well aware of what the sticking points are and they continue to not want to negotiate, in our view, in a positive manner.

“At this stage there is the potential for further industrial action but we’ll go back, we’ll look at what our options are, and we’ll go from there.

“Our members have made it very clear on what the issues are and BHP is not addressing them.”

Protected industrial action was overwhelmingly endorsed by rank and file members in secret ballots held earlier this month.

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Follow the Campaign on the SBU Website.

BMA is the joint venture owner of the mines subject to the enterprise bargaining dispute. The BHP Billiton Mitsubishi Alliance joint venture is between BHP Billiton Ltd/plc and Mitsubishi Development Pty Ltd. BHP Billiton is the day-to-day operator of the mines and the employer of mine labour.