“This vote is about protecting standards not just at Mangoola… but across the coal industry.”
That’s the sentiment from Mining and Energy Union (MEU) northern district president Robin Williams as workers at Glencore’s site in the Hunter prepare to deliberate on a hotly-contested proposed Enterprise Agreement (EA) later in the month.
From 31 March to 1 April, employees will vote on an EA, which would introduce tiered pay structures, cut contractor earnings and embed a cheaper workforce at the locale.
“It means wages could fall by $36,000 a year if the lower tiers are added to the agreement,” he said.
“Workers fought hard and stood together to win Same Job Same Pay at Mangoola.
“For decades, labour-hire has been used across the mining industry to drive salaries down and create a cheaper second-class workforce.
“Same Job Same Pay was meant to put an end to that practice.
“This latest proposal risks taking the industry backwards by re-introducing lower pay for the same work through a new structure.”
Labour-hire workers at Mangoola secured a Fair Work Commission (FWC) order in 2025 lifting their wages to match permanent employees doing the identical job.
That pay is linked to the minimum rates in the site’s agreement.
If the contract introduces lower pay tiers for those roles, the protected rate moves with it.
In other words, once a cheaper value exists on paper, contractor pay can drop straight away, too.
Workers would still undertake the same work… just for less pay.
“Contractors stand to lose income while having no say in the outcome,” Mr Williams said.
“But, the consequences would not stop there.
“Once a lower rate exists on site, it becomes the reference point for new hires and future agreements.
“That is how wages get pushed down across an industry.
“Not overnight, but bit by bit.”
Mr Williams said workers were also concerned about Glencore’s refusal to strengthen redundancy protections, uncertainty around allowances not written into the EA, and structural changes that could make permanent roles easier to replace over time.
“The approval of the deal at a major Hunter operation could influence bargaining across the region,” he added.
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