Victory against Rio Tinto

Victory against Rio Tinto

By Alison Dellit

NEWCASTLE — Workers at Rio Tinto's Hunter Valley No. 1 coalmine have rejected management's Australian Workplace Agreement proposal in a secret ballot.

The Construction, Mining, Forestry and Energy Union refused to agree to the proposal because it severely limited union rights, and eroded conditions and seniority provisions at the mine. Out of 363 ballots cast, 333 voted against the proposal.

The vote was a resounding defeat for Rio Tinto management, who had told the media they expected "at least 30% of workers to vote against the union". Rio Tinto has conducted a long campaign to eliminate the union from the Hunter Valley mines. Rio Tinto recently announced the closure of the Mt Vickery mine, a move seen as a way to eliminate the union.

From GLW issue 320