Mining and Energy Union has said that BHP has resorted to an unfounded fear campaign over the Australian Government’s promised Same Job Same Pay law.
According to the union, the company has written to its workforce and suggested that the new laws would be bad for jobs.
But Mining and Energy Union General President Tony Maher said the company is concerned with having to share some of its record profits.
“BHP is right to fear that Same Job Same Pay will lift their wages bill, because they have been exploiting labour hire mineworkers for years,” said Maher.
“Along with other big mining companies, they have exploited weak laws allowing them to avoid paying the wages and conditions achieved through genuine enterprise bargaining,” he added, noting that the new bill will close the loophole.
“BHP mineworkers have nothing to fear and everything to gain from Same Job Same Pay laws, which will help end the culture of division on their mine sites,” said Maher.
“Our mining companies have been pocketing billions in record profits from Australian commodities and they can afford to do the right thing by the workers generating the wealth,” he noted.
