23 September 2024

Statement on multi-employer bargaining

Whitehaven Coal provides the following statement regarding the Federal Government’s multi-employer bargaining policy:

The Federal Government’s multi-employer bargaining framework represents a return to unworkable 1970s-style industrial relations policy. It is a significant step backwards for the national economy and it should concern all Australians.

The fact is, when Australia’s world-leading resources sector does well, Australians all benefit. The resources industry is responsible for so much of Australia’s economic prosperity and resilience, particularly in our regions, but unfortunately we’re seeing governments increasingly take this contribution for granted.

Despite initially providing assurances that miners would not be impacted, the Federal Government’s outdated multi-employer bargaining laws are now set to drag the industry back to the flawed ways of the past and put future jobs and investment at risk.

The return of multi-employer bargaining adds to the range of punitive policy interventions in the mining sector that make it substantially harder and more costly to do business.

The cumulative impact of these policy changes has been negative, with no clear evidence of a coordinated plan. They’re fuelling cost and inflationary pressures, impacting productivity and creating further uncertainty.

Mining has a critical role to play underpinning our national economy at a time when many Australians are feeling cost of living pressures. It is essential the Federal Government provides the certainty needed to secure jobs and investment through an energy transition that will take decades, not years.

Enterprise-level bargaining has proven to be a successful framework for several decades, enabling employers and employees in the mining industry to negotiate workplace-specific outcomes that recognise the differences that exist between competing companies and operations.

Attracting and retaining employees with the right skills is fundamental to our continued success and enterprise-level bargaining provides the flexibility to achieve this. It has enabled the mining industry to deliver sustained improvements in wages, conditions and productivity over the past 40 years, which directly benefit employees, employers and the broader economy.

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