- Media Release
Union power overreach threatens Australian mining
Today’s decision by the Full Federal Court to overturn the Fair Work Commission’s orders that placed reasonable limits on the exercise of union delegate powers confirms that unions will continue to push for expanded powers which absolve union delegates of their obligations as employees and interfere with the normal performance of work.
The decision shows that the Federal Government’s Closing Loopholes legislation gives unions significantly more power than what the independent umpire determined was a fair and reasonable balance.
As well as being an over-reach of union power, this would create a two-tiered class system among Australian workers: those who actually work for the business, and those who work for the union but get paid by the business to do so – enshrining the rights of some workers to do whatever they please, with businesses powerless to stop them.
Australian mining companies are already feeling unprecedented cost pressures, including from industrial relations changes, mounting energy prices, lengthy and costly project approval delays and increased royalties – driving investment offshore to low-cost jurisdictions with poor environmental and emissions standards.
Given the serious and damaging impact of these changes on Australian mining, the MCA will work with other affected industries to closely review the decision and its implications and take further action as appropriate to defend our sector.