THE Queensland Resources Council (QRC) has welcomed the announcement by Minister Anthony Lynham to grant four new mining leases to extend Stanmore Coal’s production in central Queensland for seven years.

QRC Chief Executive Ian Macfarlane said the coal industry continues to deliver for Queensland and applauded Minister Lynham for backing the industry and the communities it supports.

“These new leases will secure the jobs of 210 workers and deliver an extra $75 million in royalties to pay for teachers, nurses and police. What we are seeing right across the coal industry is people being employed in high skilled and high tech jobs, billions of dollars in royalties being paid to the State Government and small businesses benefiting from servicing the industry,” he said.

“Stanmore’s clear-sightedness after purchasing the mine for $1 is again demonstrated with the company looking to use existing infrastructure and equipment to develop the leases.

“The resources sector provides one in every $6 dollars in the Queensland economy, sustains one in eight jobs, supports more than 16,400 businesses, all from 0.1 percent of the state’s land mass.”

QRC’s current data shows that in 2016-17, the state’s coal industry contributed $37.8 billion to the state’s economy and supported 189,995 full time jobs.

www.qrc.org.au

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IN CELEBRATING International Women’s Day, Master Builders Australia is calling for more women to pursue careers in the building and construction industry to help tackle the gender pay gap. 

“There is profound community concern about the gender pay gap. Getting more women into well-paying jobs in growing industries like building and construction has a big role in closing it,” Denita Wawn, CEO of Master Builders Australia said. 

“Building and construction is the nation’s second largest industry and one of the highest paying.   It currently employs more than a million Australians but only 11 percent of them are women,” she said. 

“There are great opportunities for women to achieve financial security and independence through a wide range of careers in our industry now and in the future,” Denita Wawn said. 

“On-site or off it, on the tools or in the office or, as is often the case both, women need to know that building and construction is an industry that will welcome them and where they can achieve both financially and in their careers,” she said. 

“Master Builders is committed not just to talking but to achieving real change. Women Building Australia is an initiative to change perceptions and raising awareness so the industry can recruit, train and retain more women,” Denita Wawn said. 

“We want our members businesses to benefit from the skills and aptitudes that women bring to building and construction workplaces,” she said. 

“Master Builders has also launched a National Mentoring Program to support women in their choice of a construction industry career. It brings together women who are just starting out in their careers or are training to attain a building industry qualification,” Denita Wawn said. 

“As an industry a key priority it is ensuring that we can provide the skills that young people need and that employers want. The Women Building Australia initiative is a great example of how industry can invest in the future of its workforce and help tackle the gender pay gap,” Denita Wawn said.

www.masterbuilders.com.au

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THE national secretary of the Construction, Forestry, Maritime, Mining and Energy Union (CFMEU)  Michael O’Connor has welcomed the decision of the Fair Work Commission (FWC) to approve the formation of the new union by the amalgamation of the CFMEU, TCFUA and the MUA.

“We will hit the ground running immediately, with the first meeting of our senior national officials this Friday, March 9, in Melbourne,” Mr O’Connor said.

“Big business has too much power, we have record levels of inequality in our community, and working families are finding it hard to make ends meet. We will be fighting every day to restore the fair go.

“What you can expect from us is a clear focus on what we have to do to turn our country around," Mr O'Connor said.

“We are absolutely committed to a change of government, to changing the rules to restore balance and fairness into our communities, and to growing our movement.

“It’s time for big business to stop riding on the coattails of everyday working Australians, time the banks stopped ripping people off, and time for every business in this country to pay tax. Nearly 700 big corporations pay no tax, which is a national scandal.”

Michele O’Neil, the Textile Clothing and Footwear Union of Australia (TCFUA) national secretary, welcomed the decision.

"The TCFUA has a proud history of fighting for the rights of some of Australia’s lowest paid and most exploited workers," Ms O'Neil said.

“The combined strength of the CFMEU, MUA and TCFUA in our new union will write a new chapter in Australia’s union movement. Ordinary workers now have a powerful new force for change on their side.

“Big business and the Federal Government should now get out of the way so we can get on with winning better pay, conditions, rights, and secure jobs for our members.”

International President of the new union, Paddy Crumlin, called the decision a proper recognition of trade union rights being directed towards the will of the membership.

“Today is an important part of the renewal of our union and of our movement,” Mr Crumlin said.

“Wherever there is a need to defend the interests of Australian workers, we will be there with them in their workplaces and communities.

“The failure of government to protect those workers from international and national tax avoidance, deregulation driven by corporate self-interest and elitism, and a continuous ideological attack on workers’ rights by many multinational corporations and service providers, means we will also be there globally with other working men and women similarly affected and mobilised.”

www.cfmeu.asn.au

www.tcfua.org.au

www.mua.org.au

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ALLOWING the CFMEU and MUA to form a new militant 'super-union' will put the economy and jobs in jeopardy, accpording to Master Builders Australia CEO Denita Wawn.

"The creation of a militant 'super-union' is a backwards step that will have far reaching consequences for the construction industry and the community,” Ms Wawn said.

“No government – Labor or Coalition – would allow a corporate merger which resulted in the formation of an entity with the capacity to shut down multiple supply chains and effectively hold the economy to ransom. But this is exactly what this decision will create,” Ms Wawn said.

"The MUA and CFMEU appear to share a common belief that they are above the law and are renowned for using tactics such as bullying, intimidation, and industrial thuggery on anyone who disagrees with them,” she said.

"Merging these two unions into one new, militant 'super-union' will see these illegal tactics become more prevalent, giving them even greater power to coerce business, put jobs at risk and bring the economy to a standstill.

“The community has every right to question how two of the most militant unions in Australian history could be allowed to get bigger,” she said.

"It is hard to imagine any other situation where a merger with ramifications so dire would be allowed to happen, and the community has every reason to hold serious concerns about what this means for them.

“Even worse, the key partners in this 'super-union' seem to take pride in taking illegal action, believing they are above the law which applies to the rest of the community.

“There are countless decisions where courts have determined that breaking the law is part of the business model under which these militant unions operate,” Ms Wawn said.

"They simply pay the fines the courts impose and then repeat offend. With more than $310 million in assets and $150 million in annual turnover even the maximum fines the courts can impose will be irrelevant to the super-union and their ability to expand this business model unrestrained."

Master Builders agreed with recent observations of Federal Court Judge Salvatore Vasta who noted, "It seems that the CFMEU feel that they can usurp Parliament and that they can set the law in this country. There is no place for such an attitude in Australian society.”

The new militant 'super-union' and its officials now face some important tests, according to Master Builders.

"Will they embark on a new era of lawful activity or revert to thuggery and intimidation? Will they continue to think that there is one law for militant unions and another for everyone else? Will they continue to put their own interests above those of the community, workers and normal people?,” Ms Wawn said.

"If history is anything to go by, we think they'll fail these tests fairly soon."

www.masterbuilders.com.au

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