Senate Education and Employment Legislation Committee, , 8:01:12 to 8:02:44
The Fair Work Ombudsman discusses the impact of 'same job, same pay' legislation on workers in the black coal mining sector and historical underpayment issues.
Topics: Workplace relations, Employment
Speakers: Senator Malcolm Roberts, Senator Jess Walsh, Senator Marielle Smith
Annabou Ombudsman. Did you have an opening statement to make? Thank you. Great.
Thank you, Chair. Thank you for referring to the review and your opponent. First questions go to the Minister, then to Fairworth Ombudsman, and then to a member of your staff. Minister, congratulations on the partial outcome of the same job, same pay laws, and their application. According to the mining and energy union, formerly the part of the CFMEU, approximately 5,000 coal miners in the black coal mining sector have received annual pay increases of between 30,000 and 40,000 each per year, meaning an extra 200 million dollars or so a year in workers' pockets. Over the next 10 years, that's approximately $2 billion in extra wages. Are you aware of that?
Senator, I am of course aware of our same job, same pay reforms, and that they've benefited 8,000 workers and that they've benefited many workers in the mining industry. And we expect workers in the mining industry who are on labour hire arrangements and who are doing the same work as people who are directly employed to be able to receive the same pay. We said we were going to deliver that reform, and that's exactly what we've done.