BY SUE BULL

MELBOURNE — Two hundred people demonstrated outside mining giant Rio Tinto's annual general meeting on April 18. The action, organised by the Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union (CFMEU), was in protest at the company's unfair dismissal, and subsequent blacklisting, of 206 coalminers from its Blair Athol, Hunter Valley No.1 and Mount Thorley mines.

Most of the protesters were shop stewards from the CFMEU's construction division. CFMEU Victorian state secretary Martin Kingham told the rally, “We know what it's like to be under attack”. He was referring to the federal government's royal commission into the building industry.

Tony Maher, general president of the CFMEU mining and energy division, as well as other union movement speakers and ALP politicians, outlined the rotten treatment the miners, all union militants who were sacked four years ago, have received.

Three have died while they waited to have their unfair dismissal claims heard. Around $10 million has been spent by Rio Tinto in legal appeals; millions have been spent to employ contractors to keep the victimised miners out of work.

“The federal government complains about unfair dismissal laws. Well, so do we. Our members' claims should have been heard within six months, not four years. Justice delayed is justice denied”, Maher told the rally.

Dave Sweeney from the Australian Conservation Foundation was warmly received as he outlined how ruthless Rio Tinto has been in its disregard of the views of the Indigenous owners of the land upon which the Jabiluka uranium mine is situated.

As the rally finished, a guard of honour was formed for some of the sacked miners, who were disguised as Rio Tinto shareholders so that could enter the meeting, to pass through. The participants chanted ”Rio Tinto: scabby bastards”.

From Green Left Weekly, April 24, 2002.
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