Glencore is attempting to pressure contractors and workers to perform the work of the employees that are taking lawful industrial action, according to CFMEU district vice-president Chris Brodsky.

“The CFMEU is aware that threats have been directed at workers and contractors in circumstances where those workers have worked at the Mine performing other duties on an ongoing basis.

“Pressure has been directed at those workers to perform the work of those on lawful industrial action. That is a deplorable situation and should it continue the CFMEU will look at all available options to hold Glencore, and contracting companies, to account.”

Brodsky said threatening behaviour was unacceptable and “Glencore should take a good hard look at the way they treat all workers”. 

“Workers should not be threatened for not performance work that would ordinarily be performed by those standing up for their rights,” he said.

“This is just another example of poor treatment by Glenore of its workforce.” 

The CFMEU is continuing to mislead its members and the public with more false claims, this time in relation to contractors during a period of industrial action at Oaky North. 

A spokesperson for Glencore told Australia’s Mining Monthly: “The union’s behaviour is shameful and does its members (our employees) – who pay the union officials’ wages – a great disservice.  

“It is disrespectful to our employees, as they are not being supplied with truthful information by union officials or employee representatives at a time when they are seeking to understand the detail of our proposed changes to the Enterprise Agreement.

 “We have respected our workforce’s legal right to take protected action during the negotiation of a new EA and we have a legal right to run our business during this action.   

 “We have already publicly rejected a large number of inaccurate CFMEU claims in relation to the current EA negotiations and provided the facts, none of which the union has subsequently challenged.”