Fed: Last ditch effort to avoid BHP strikes fails

AAP General News (Australia)
12-30-1999
Fed: Last ditch effort to avoid BHP strikes fails

By Denis Peters, Industrial Correspondent

CANBERRA, Dec 30 AAP - A last-ditch plea by steel unions to bring BHP to the negotiating
table over disputed individual contracts fell on deaf ears today.

The unions have pledged to continue their campaign of strikes and other industrial
action over the dispute emanating from the company's Western Australian iron ore mines.

Australian Workers' Union (AWU) Federal President Graham Roberts urged BHP executives
to use the holiday period to reconsider their refusal to negotiate a collective agreement
for the mines.

BHP wants its 1,000 miners in the Pilbara to sign-up to individual contracts in an
effort to cut costs and improve competitiveness against rival companies whose staff are
already on contracts.

The unions, who are deeply opposed to the contracts, have spread the dispute to BHP's
steel operations in the southern and eastern states.

Thousands of steelworkers have already struck and more strikes are forecast for the new year.

"I am renewing my offer to lead negotiations on a collective agreement that brings
about the objectives of security for our members and addresses the cost and productivity
questions management have raised," Mr Roberts said.

"It is still possible to have a collective agreement that meets the needs of both parties,"

Mr Roberts said.

BHP Iron Ore External Affairs Vice-President Steadman Ellis said the company had not
received any further approach from the AWU and saw no reason to change its offer.

"We are committed to letting the process run its course," he told AAP.

He cast doubt on Mr Roberts' claim the majority of Pilbara workers wanted a collective agreement.

"Of the award employees, more than 40 per cent to date have signed workplace agreements
and less than 10 per cent of workers have participated in industrial action, " he said.

"Our view is that there are a large number sitting on the fence still considering the
matter, so we're determined the process should run its course.

"We believe we are on the right track to make this a more competitive iron ore business."

In another development, federal opposition industrial relations spokesman Arch Bevis
pledged to outlaw the tactics which allowed BHP to refuse to negotiate a collective agreement
even if this was the wish of the majority.

"Where workers have expressed a preference for the type of agreement they want then
there should be an obligation on the parties to negotiate for an agreement of that type,"

Mr Bevis told the Australian Financial Review.

BHP spokeswoman Mandy Frostick said that because there was an enterprise agreement
still in place in the Pilbara, she did not believe Mr Bevis' comments related to BHP.

The AWU and other steel unions plan to hit BHP Steel hard, perhaps as early as next
week, with a 24-hour stoppage at the company's biggest steelworks, Port Kembla.

That strike would involve about 5,000 workers and cost $5 million.

AAP dep/rds

KEYWORD: BHP CONTRACTS NIGHTLEAD

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