MIM unfair treatment dispute

Workers on the Mount Isa Mines lease in Mount Isa stopped work on August 
26 and held a mass meeting at the TLC Building to discuss the company's 
decision to stand down three workers delegate) and issue written warnings 
to 27 others in the Service Area. Those stood down included an Australian 
Manufacturing Workers' Union delegate.

MIM suffered a significant rebuff when the Queensland Industrial Relations 
Commission (QIRC) refused to issue orders or recommendations against the 
stopwork and mass meeting. MIM had sought an urgent hearing in the QIRC, in 
an attempt to stop its employees protesting against what can only be 
described as its belligerent, anti-worker behaviour.

The stand downs, individual interrogation sessions and reprimands of the 
three workers followed a return to work by striking AMWU members from the 
mine's Service Area.

AMWU members employed in the Service Area walked off the job on August 21 
in protest at MIM management's unfair treatment of two of their colleagues.

In early August, a verbal altercation took place at the mine between a 
Service Area worker and an acting supervisor, during which the worker 
alleges the acting supervisor made violent threats towards him.

The worker then lodged a Fair Treatment claim with MIM, which conducted an 
internal investigation.

This investigation led to the acting supervisor being counselled and, for 
some reason, the worker being issued with a "show cause" notice as to why 
he should not be dismissed.

A witness supportive of the worker was also issued with a final written 
warning and is one of the three workers stood down.