Ad campaign backs Same Job Same Pay laws to close labour hire loopholes

The Mining and Energy Union is today launching an advertising campaign to support the Albanese Government’s proposed Same Job Same Pay laws for labour hire workers and challenge mining company scare campaigns.

The print, television and social media campaign will continue until the new laws pass Parliament.

MEU General Secretary Grahame Kelly said that despite mining company fearmongering, Same Job Same Pay laws would be good for the industry.

“Mining companies are notorious for throwing their weight around when governments propose changes requiring them to act in the community’s best interests.

“But Same Job Same Pay will be a positive for mining because it will end a rort affecting the workers and regional communities that sustain the industry.

“Same Job Same Pay will improve wages and conditions for labour hire workers and prevent them being treated as second class citizens. It will strengthen collective bargaining by ensuring companies stick to their end of the bargain. And it will be great for regional communities who lose out when big employers cut wages for half the workforce.”

Mr Kelly said that over the past decade, big mining companies have replaced thousands of good, permanent mining jobs with insecure, lower-paid labour hire jobs, cutting wages while their profits have grown.

He said Same Job Same Pay laws would close the loophole that allows companies to avoid paying the wages and conditions negotiated under site Enterprise Agreements by outsourcing jobs to labour hire companies paying barely above the legal minimum.

The practice means that on many mine sites, labour hire workers are paid from $30,000 to $50,000 a year less than permanent workers for doing the same job. Workers in other industries including transport and manufacturing are also affected.

“We know that workers in industries apart from mining are also the victim of labour hire loopholes, being paid less than permanent employees performing the same job.

“We encourage all workers who want to end this rort to get on board and help make sure Same Job Same Pay becomes a reality.”

The ads have started airing today and the campaign is being officially launched at Parliament House in Canberra, where a delegation of MEU coal mineworkers has been briefing MPs about the misuse of labour hire and the need for Same Job Same Pay laws. The campaign will include events in regional areas in the months ahead.