BHP Coal Workers Accept New Offer, Finally Ends 2-Yr Dispute
Coal workers at the jointly-owned coking coal mines of BHP Billiton Ltd. and Mitsubishi Corp. have finally conceded to accept a new enterprise agreement, effectively ending a two-year mining clash.
The new agreement, still subject to final approval by Fair Work Australia, included three five per cent annual pay rises, a $15,000 yearly bonus, flexibility in work schedules, a local housing agreement for workers who prefer to reside in local towns rather than shuttle back and forth from their areas of residence, as well as an increase in retirement savings.
"I would like to thank our employees for their support and we will continue to work hard to build a strong business that provides good jobs for our people and increased opportunities for communities and other stakeholders," Stephen Dumble, BMA Asset president, said.
"BMA is a strong business in a competitive global industry. We are looking forward to getting back to business focusing on safe and productive performance and to enhancing our cost competitiveness in the challenging business environment."
The new agreement was supported and approved by 60 per cent of the 2,260 employees who voted in the ballot. The workers represented the entire populace working for the alliance's five mines.
"It could have been reached a year ago had BHP not taken an ideological approach that prioritised picking a fight with its work force over coming to a reasonable deal," the Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union said.