Renewable energy push creates trade union division

Mining and Energy union workers will reconsider their affiliation with Labor governments and split from their current trade union over concerns about the push toward renewable energy.

Key points:

The CFMMEU has around 150,000 members across Australia, and 23,000 are mining and energy workersMiners say they do not support state and federal government plans to transition to renewable energyThey will split from the CFMMEU and form their own union to allow for more effective government lobbying

The results of a ballot conducted over the past month showed 98 per cent of mining and energy members voted in favour of splitting from the Construction Forestry Maritime Mining and Energy Union (CFMMEU) to form their own union.

Queensland Mining and Energy Union president Stephen Smyth said it came down to parts of the union being on “different paths”.

“They [other parts of the union] are fully behind renewables for manufacturing, which I totally understand, but that’s at odds with us as a mining and energy union, where our members work in those sectors that are most under attack,” he said.

“While we still have our relationships [with other parts of the union], we’re going different ways into the future.”

The mining and energy division’s general president, Tony Maher, said union members “no longer felt at home” within the CFMMEU.

Renewable energy targets at odds with industry

Last year the Queensland government released a 10-year energy plan saying the state would have ‘no regular reliance’ on coal for energy production from 2035.

At the time, Mr Smyth said some in the coal community were ‘bewildered by the plan’.

Mining and energy workers feel lobbying will be more effective if they are in a standalone union.(Supplied)

Almost 12 months on, he said while the union would still be affiliated with the Labor Party, once the split was finalised, the new union would consider its options.

“There’s still a lot of conversations to be had,” Mr Smyth said.

“We’ll consider what we do moving forward.

“At this point in time, we’re quite comfortable where we’re at and what our focus is.”

He said lobbying, going forward, would be more effective as a standalone union.

“Particularly around the energy-related matters and moving forward, that’s going to be very, very important to all of us and all of Queensland,” Mr Smyth said.

Glen Butcher, the Queensland Minister for Water, Regional Development and Manufacturing, said coal mining, alongside renewable investment, would continue in the state.

“Whether the CFMMEU want to change and do whatever they do internally, that’s totally up to them,” he said.

“The Queensland government is always dealing with unions and making sure that we get the best opportunity for workers in Queensland.”

The Mining and Energy Division now has 30 days to make an application to the Federal Court of Australia, seeking orders to fix a withdrawal date.

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