Mt Arthur Coal Mine
Adero Law filed a class action in the Federal Court on 27 June 2018 against labour hire companies Ready Workforce and TESA Mining for the misclassification of workers and underpayment of employment entitlements at the Mt Arthur coal mine in New South Wales. If you have been employed as a casual by either company at any time during the six years prior to 19 December 2018, and work or worked at Mt Arthur coal mine, it is not too late to join this action.
On 27 June 2018, Adero Law filed class actions against both TESA Mining and Ready Workforce, among others, alleging that they both misclassified workers at the Mt Arthur mine site as ‘casual’ employees, rather than ‘permanent’ employees.
Each of the class actions have been brought by Simon Turner as the lead applicant seeking compensation not only for himself, but potentially thousands of coal mining workers in the same or similar circumstances to him.
Each of the class actions allege that although Mr Turner and group members were employed by labour hire providers as ‘casual’ employees, they were, in reality, ‘permanent’ employees as they were working to long-term rosters, and their employment had other hallmarks of permanent employment. Due to that misclassification, it is alleged Mr Turner and the group members are owed unpaid annual and personal leave entitlements, and other employment entitlements, which they now claim from the respective labour hire providers.
The class actions are being case managed together by a single Judge and are progressing through the Court process. In December 2018, Mr Turner filed an Amended Statement of Claim, and the respondents have recently filed their defences and cross-claims. Further orders will be made by the Court to progress each of the class actions in due course.
It is clear that the black coal industry has made it common practice to casualise a large part of its workforce. This has the effect of creating a two-tier workforce. Potentially thousands of workers are eligible to join the class actions and fight for compensation.
“Adero is bringing the fight to big mining. The industry is failing its employees at a time when it is making the fattest profits. You’ve been told to wait for that permanent shirt, but permanent gigs left this industry five years ago. You now earn less money than miners were getting 15 years ago – but people stay silent and pretend that it’s normal. It is not normal for a casual worker to be paid substantially less than a permanent employee. It is not normal for one worker to earn up to $75,000.00 more per year than another worker doing the same job, on the same roster – just wearing a different shirt. I know you fear for your jobs, but waiting and fearing leads to nothing. Without you, there’s no industry, and no profit. We have got to stop this happening to your family, your community and your career. It’s time to take this fight head on!” – Rory Markham, Adero Law’s Managing Principal.
Adero Law encourages anyone who worked for Ready Workforce or TESA Mining at the Mt Arthur mine site, to a long-term roster, any time during the six years prior to 19 December 2018 to register for these class actions.
Please contact Adero Law via the “Register Interest” button to receive further information about your options and legal rights.
Frequently Asked Questions
Although circumstances can vary, the general structure of a class action proceeding run by Adero Law is as follows:
- A wrongdoing occurs that affects a group of people (claimants) in a similar way.
- Adero’s Claim Origination team investigate the wrongdoing by conducting due diligence investigations and liaising with a lead claimant.
- The claim is filed in Court.
- Claimants enter into a litigation funding agreement with a third-party litigation funder willing to finance the class action on the claim is basis.
- Pleadings and other Court documents are finalised and filed with the Court.
- Claimants have a chance to opt-out of the class action.
- Evidence is compiled and the claim is prepared for trial.
- If appropriate, mediation or settlement discussions take place between the parties.
- If a settlement agreement is not reached, the claim proceeds to trial.
- Once a settlement agreement has been reached, claimants are notified, and a timetable put in place for any objections or submissions to be made ahead of a hearing.
- A settlement hearing occurs.
- If the settlement is approved, a distribution scheme will be implemented under the guidance of the Court.
No. The litigation funder will cover legal fees on a no-win no-fee basis regardless of the outcome of the case. You will not have to personally pay Adero Law or the litigation funder any monies unless you are successful, in which case the only money you will pay to the funder will come from any successful outcome you receive. You will not have to pay anything more than what you receive.
Yes. Only the lead claimant will be named in the class action. Your name will not be made public unless you have specifically consented.
Whilst individual circumstances will vary, Adero undertakes due diligence in relation to likely damages calculations. The amount of underpayment varies depending on the claim being brought, such as a breach of the enterprise agreement or a breach of the National Employment Standards, and the hourly rates used.
Adero will make every effort to recover all potential underpayments owing to members of a class action (claimants). Claimants should be aware that the recovery of any underpayment will be subject to terms of the funding agreement, which provides for a return on investment to the funder. For more information on the terms of the funding agreement of any current class action, please request an FAQ Sheet by email at enquiries@aderolaw.com.au or by contacting (02) 6189 1022.
No. It is the third-party litigation funder that receives a return on investment if a class action is successful, as they are the party that bears the risk.
No. Your employer cannot terminate your employment for participating in a class action. This will amount to an adverse action. Moreover, your name will not be disclosed without your express consent. This means that your employer cannot know you joined an action unless you tell them, you tell someone else or instruct us to disclose your name. We do not identify our clients, not even to other members of the action.
No. The Fair Work Act 2009 (Cth) s 340 prevents employers from treating you differently for exercising your workplace rights. It is unlawful to punish an employee in any way for joining a class action. If you believe this has happened to you, contact us at Adero Law and we will promptly investigate.
No. Both union members and non-members are encouraged to join so that we can win back the entitlements that are owed to everyone.
Yes. Our claimants include current and past workers.
Coal Mines in NSW & QLD
It is clear that the Black Coal industry has made it an industry practice to casualise its workers and create
a two-tier workforce. If you work or have worked for a labour-hire company in the black coal mining industry, We want to hear your story