The Minerals Council of Australia (MCA) has warned that a new Bill – passed by the Australian Government on 2 December 2022 – that will reintroduce multi-employer bargaining into the Australian workplace will have a negative impact on the industry.
CEO of the MCA, Tania Constable, believes The Fair Work Legislation Amendment (Secure Jobs, Better Pay) Bill will have a negative impact on investment, productivity, economic growth, job security and wages for small or larger businesses across Australia.
“The Government’s amendments, which confine multi-employer agreements to ‘reasonably comparable’ businesses, carve-out civil construction, allow more time to conclude enterprise agreements, and stop parties from unreasonably preventing workplace votes, do partially address industry concerns.
“However, these amendments do not change the fundamental problems the bill will create in reducing flexibility and productivity, increasing risk for investors, and making it harder for mining companies to create jobs.”
In a statement, she said that in sectors such as mining, current arrangements are delivering high paying jobs.
Mining is Australia’s largest export industry, generating a record $413 billion in exports in 2021-22. The industry paid $43.2 billion in tax and royalty payments in 2022-21 and accounted for 30 per cent of all company tax paid that year.
MCA said it will continue to work hard for the mining industry and its workers, the regional communities and thousands of small businesses that support the sector.
