
Issue No 69		01 September 2000

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News

Two Day Strike Hits BHP Mines

Mineworkers at five BHP coal operations in Queensland and NSW stopped work for 48 hours this week with the company refusing to address workers' claims.

At present there are six BHP operations locked in enterprise agreement talks - Crinum, Gregory and Hay Point in Queensland and Appin, Tower and Cordeaux in NSW.

At the sixth, Gregory, where there have been no negotiations so far, BHP was instructed by the IR Commission to start talking to the Unions.

The miners union -the CFMEU - says for the past two years mineworkers and their communities have suffered all the pain while the company has reaped all the gain. Jobs have been slashed, productivity has skyrocketed, and profits have soared.

In the past two years BHP has made $1.86 billion profit from coal. Over 2000 BHP coal workers have lost their jobs and there has been a staggering 54% increase in productivity per person.

CFMEU (Mining) President Tony Maher says BHP miners are sick of being taken for granted.

'The company likes to drive up the share price but doesn't pass on the benefits to those at the coalface. What is even more hypocritical is they have collective agreements in steel which deliver good outcomes. Mineworkers are delivering better profits and returns on capital but don't get the rewards,' he says.

'The employer always says we must share the pain in the bad times but won't share the benefits in the good times.'

BHP workers in the mines want

15% wage increase over two years
Increased employer superannuation
Security of employment provisions
Minimum rates for contractors
Additional payment for GST impact
Common expiry date for all BHP coal certified agreements.

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Issue 69 contents

Interview: Global Warrior
International unions have won a game of political football with soccer`s hierarchy - and Aussie Tim Noonan is behind the victory.

History: King of Broken Hill
John Shields recounts the colourful life of William Sydney 'Shorty' O'Neil (1903-2000) and his place in the rich history of a remarkable town.

International: History Repeats At Firestone
More than 8,000 workers, members of the United Steelworkers of America (USWA), are set to strike at nine Bridgestone/Firestone plants in the United States at midnight tonight.

Politics: The Past We Need To Understand
In his Vincent Lingiari Memorial Lecture Malcolm Fraser retraces the path of Australian race relations and laments the terrible impasse we've reached.

Unions: Economic Democracy
Sharan Burrow on making Working Australia's money talk and reforming corporate culture for the 21st Century.

Satire: Another windscreen washer joins millionaire list
SYDNEY, Monday: After just a year in his new job, John Samuels has added his name to the burgeoning list of enterprising Australians who have made their fortunes by offering partial car-washing facilities in convenient inner city road-side locations.

Review: No Long Term
Much political commentary is about the global marketplace and the use of new technologies as hallmarks of the new capitalism. Richard Sennett investigates another dimension of change: new ways of organising time, particularly working time.

» New Benchmark In Bank Greed

» Olympics Deal Sparks Soccer Ball Victory

» Two Day Strike Hits BHP Mines

» Leightons, SOCOG Tremble Before Haka

» Hilton Hotels Limp As Strike Bites

» Wran Lends Boffins A Hand

» ACTU Meets Joy

» Barracks Workers Put The Pinch On Local MP

» Olympic Win For Taxi Drivers

» Australian Unions Keep Spotlight on Fiji

» Staff Eye Telstra Prize

» Dice Loaded Against American Workers

» NZ Union Federations Heal Split

» Pressure Mounts On Nike To Live Olympic Ideal