CFMEU - Mining and Energy Division
Carbon capture investment secures Latrobe Valley coal industry
Large scale Carbon Capture and Storage in the Latrobe Valley will boost jobs and ensure the region’s coal industry in a carbon-contrained economy, the CFMEU says.
The union welcomes the $1 billion CarbonNet project as a vote of confidence for the thousands of workers employed in the Valley’s brown coal industry.
The plans will go towards feasibility studies for capturing three million tonnes of carbon dioxide from power plants and stored safe sites.
High Court delivers a win for collective bargaining in Rio Tinto’s Pilbara operation
The High Court has today upheld a ruling allowing employees of Rio Tinto’s iron ore operation to engage in genuine collective bargaining, said the CFMEU miners’ union.
The High Court rejected Rio Tinto’s application to appeal a previous decision of the Federal Court, which found the employment agreement covering its Pilbara iron ore workforce was not a genuine collective agreement.
Union offers to unload Port Kembla coal for safety’s sake
The CFMEU will offer a skeleton crew to unload 50,000 tonne of coal from trains at the Port Kembla terminal during its protected industrial action to ensure safety at an Illawarra mine.
CFMEU District Vice President Bob Timbs today said the union was pleased to have struck a deal with one of the terminal users, Metropolitan Coal, to unload coal from trains transporting coal to lessen stockpiles at the company’s Helensburgh Colliery.
Global News: Explicit Trade Union Language Adopted by UN’s Global Compact for Rio+20
13 February 2012
Disappointed with a draft of the UN Global Compact document “Corporate Sustainability Leadership: A Framework for Action at Rio+20 and Beyond,” global labour’s two representatives on the body – ICEM General Secretary Manfred Warda and UNI General Secretary Philip Jennings – worked to get stronger trade union language adopted by the Global Compact for the UN’s June 2012 World Summit on Sustainable Development, dubbed “Rio+20.”
BHP’s Bowen Basin coal workers to strike for seven days next week
Workers from BHP’s seven Bowen Basin coalmines will take protected strike action for seven days from next Wednesday, February 15.
Representatives from the Single Bargaining Unit (SBU) have today informed BHP of the industrial action after union members last Friday overwhelmingly approved the stoppage.
Workers at the Goonyella Riverside, Broadmeadow, Peak Downs, Saraji, Norwich Park, Gregory Crinum, and Blackwater mines will be involved in the strike from midday next Wednesday.
Huge coal profit shows BHP can afford to listen to workers in dispute
Workers at Bowen Basin coalmines have helped BHP to a staggering A$9 billion half-yearly profit, showing the company can well afford to listen to employees’ concerns in current EBA talks, the CFMEU Miners Union said today.
Today’s company report revealed BHP’s Central Queensland coal assets generated $3.5 billion and management say more heavy investment is yet to come.
Despite heavy rains and flooding, the Bowen Basin’s coalmines brought in a $1.2 billion profit before tax, or $3 million a day.
RBA failing in its duty to protect Australian jobs
By opting not to relieve pressure on Australian industry and jobs, the RBA is failing its duty under the Reserve Bank Act, CFMEU National Secretary Michael O'Connor said this afternoon.
Mr O’Connor said that the RBA’s decision to leave rates on hold at levels many times higher than most of the developed world was unjustifiable.
“We have a situation in this country today where the high Australian dollar is hammering manufacturing and other trade exposed industries and putting thousands of jobs at risk,” he said.
Overwhelming vote as BHP’s Central Queensland mine workers refuse to back down on safety, equal pay
Bowen Basin coalmine workers have overwhelmingly approved taking protected action stoppages across BHP’s seven mines in protest at the company’s latest Enterprise Agreement offer.
Strong votes against BHP’s latest offer were recorded at mass meetings in Central Queensland today and yesterday, as employees refused to back down from demanding mine safety and equal pay for labour hire employees and sub-contractors’ provisions in the Agreement.
BHP rank and file meetings in Qld as company stonewalls on new EA
Thousands of rank and file coal mineworkers began a series of mass meetings in Central Queensland today to consider their response to BHP’s continued stonewalling on a settlement to a new Enterprise Agreement at the company’s seven coal operations.
Rank and file meetings will be held in Blackwater and Emerald today and in Dysart and Moranbah tomorrow to hear a report back from Union representatives on the latest stalemate in negotiations.
Supermarket Duopoly now targeting primary producers
Will our farmers suffer the same fate as our manufacturing sector?
The price war breaking out on fruit and vegetables between Coles and Woolworths risks causing great heartache for primary producers in the same way as the duopoly’s increase in home brand products devastated the nations manufacturing base, CFMEU National Secretary, Michael O'Connor said today.
Moves last year by the supermarket chains effectively priced local suppliers out of the market and constrained choice for consumers, driving jobs offshore.
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