PERTH (miningweekly.com) – Diversified miner Anglo American will cut 82 positions at its German Creek mine, in Queensland, amid a strike that started in August over protracted enterprise bargaining agreement negotiations.
The Fair Work Commission on Friday dismissed an application by union CFMEU for ‘good faith bargaining’ orders to be issued against Anglo, which the major said supported the company’s legitimate right to implement “genuine changes” to its operational plan in the face of sustained and ongoing industrial action.
Anglo has previously said that the decision to restructure the workforce at the German Creek mine was based on changed business conditions imposed on the company by an unplanned delay in its prestripping operations.
“It is regrettable when any jobs are lost in our industry, particularly in circumstances such as this which were completely avoidable,” the mining company said in a statement.
However, the CFMEU has accused the miner of targeting its members in the job cuts, saying on Monday that 32 of the 33 employees who had already received their marching orders, had been on strike.
“Anglo cannot tell us this isn’t an exercise to pick off workers who only wanted certainty over job security,” said CFMEU Queensland district president, Stephen Smyth.
“Anglo has advised their labour hire and contract employees that they will not be affected by this round of redundancies. This attack on workers will affect dozens of families and is a blow to the local community. It is a clear step towards prioritising casualisation of employment in German Creek,” Smyth said.