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12 August, 2005ICEM News release No. 37/1998
In a secret ballot, workers yesterday voted by 98 percent to reject a new agreement proposed by the management of Australia's Hunter Valley No. 1 mine.
The mine is owned by Rio Tinto, the world's biggest mining multinational. Rio Tinto has been attempting to de-unionise its Australian mines. The multinational's strong anti-union stance in many parts of the world has made it a priority target for campaigning by the 20-million-strong International Federation of Chemical, Energy, Mine and General Workers' Unions (ICEM).
Yesterday's secret ballot was conducted by a local mayor. At a meeting, the Hunter Valley No. 1 miners analysed every aspect of the new agreement and found that, if they accepted it, they would each be worse off to the tune of 14,000 Australian dollars (about US$8,750) a year.
Mineworkers also condemned Rio Tinto's performance assessments at the mine. With 192 jobs to be cut in the next couple of months, mineworkers accused the company of "payback" [revenge] in targeting union activists. The assessment was "a sham" commented Tony Maher, Vice-President of the ICEM-affiliated Australian mining and allied workers' union CFMEU.
"For example, we have one worker who is not only licensed to drive every piece of machinery at the mine but was so highly valued by the company that he was used to train others. He is also a qualified Mines Rescue worker. His performance was marked 'poor'. Another worker who has not has not lost a day in 20 years through injury, was also rated 'poor', requiring improvement in safety".
Maher said the performance assessment was a Rio Tinto in-house project designed as a vendetta against union activists. "It's got nothing to do with real performance. It's a get-square and an attempt to intimidate workers into voting in favour of the company's proposed new agreement when the Australian Electoral Council conducts a ballot at the mine from May 11-15."
Yesterday's meeting unanimously supported a NO vote in the forthcoming ballot and the CFMEU is confident that Rio Tinto's offer will be firmly rejected.
The mine is owned by Rio Tinto, the world's biggest mining multinational. Rio Tinto has been attempting to de-unionise its Australian mines. The multinational's strong anti-union stance in many parts of the world has made it a priority target for campaigning by the 20-million-strong International Federation of Chemical, Energy, Mine and General Workers' Unions (ICEM).
Yesterday's secret ballot was conducted by a local mayor. At a meeting, the Hunter Valley No. 1 miners analysed every aspect of the new agreement and found that, if they accepted it, they would each be worse off to the tune of 14,000 Australian dollars (about US$8,750) a year.
Mineworkers also condemned Rio Tinto's performance assessments at the mine. With 192 jobs to be cut in the next couple of months, mineworkers accused the company of "payback" [revenge] in targeting union activists. The assessment was "a sham" commented Tony Maher, Vice-President of the ICEM-affiliated Australian mining and allied workers' union CFMEU.
"For example, we have one worker who is not only licensed to drive every piece of machinery at the mine but was so highly valued by the company that he was used to train others. He is also a qualified Mines Rescue worker. His performance was marked 'poor'. Another worker who has not has not lost a day in 20 years through injury, was also rated 'poor', requiring improvement in safety".
Maher said the performance assessment was a Rio Tinto in-house project designed as a vendetta against union activists. "It's got nothing to do with real performance. It's a get-square and an attempt to intimidate workers into voting in favour of the company's proposed new agreement when the Australian Electoral Council conducts a ballot at the mine from May 11-15."
Yesterday's meeting unanimously supported a NO vote in the forthcoming ballot and the CFMEU is confident that Rio Tinto's offer will be firmly rejected.