The Western Mineworkers Alliance (WMWA) is calling for the urgent establishment of an independent expert body, funded by the mining industry, to oversee the management of sexual harassment and abuse claims, so workers can bring forward complaints without fear of retaliation or blacklisting by site management.
The call comes after a WMWA survey revealed that a majority of female workers on mine sites in Western Australia have experienced sexual harassment, but also that most are deeply wary of reporting abuse to management because of a deeply embedded culture of cover-up that discourages reporting and accountability.
The survey of WA mine workers, included in the WMWA’s submission to the WA parliamentary inquiry into sexual harassment against women in the FIFO mining industry, found:
- One in five women have been offered improved conditions of employment or career advancement dependent on sexual favours, either explicitly or implicitly;
- One in five women had experienced physical acts of sexual assault;
- Two-thirds had experienced verbal harassment of a sexual nature, including jokes referring to sexual acts or sexual orientation;
- A third had experienced unwanted touching or physical contact; and
- Over half had experienced inappropriate staring or leering that made them feel intimidated.
Despite the shocking prevalence of sexual harassment and abuse, the majority of women and men are not confident managers understand the prevalence of sexual harassment on-site and in-camp.
- Nearly half of women respondents did not believe reports of sexual harassment were encouraged;
- Among women, just 29 per cent agreed employers understand the prevalence;
- Among men, 37 per cent agreed employers understand the prevalence;
- Among women, just 41 per cent said they believed workers are encouraged to report incidents of sexual harassment with 48 per cent believing workers were not encouraged to report (11 per cent unsure);
- A majority of women and men are unsure or negative about whether they would be supported throughout the process when reporting instances of sexual harassment in FIFO workplaces; and
- Among women, 24 per cent believed workers are supported throughout the reporting place (48 per cent said no and 28 per cent were unsure).
WMWA spokesperson AWU National Secretary, Daniel Walton, said the need for change is urgent.
“While it’s shocking so many workers have been sexually abused at mine sites, what’s more shocking still is the mine management culture of cover-up and victim-punishment,” Mr Walton said.
“Any victim of workplace sexual harassment or abuse should feel safe and protected when coming forward to their employer. That’s just clearly not the case at WA mines.”
“The fact women believe they’ll be blacklisted as troublemakers if they come forward is a shameful indictment on the culture created by the big miners.”
“Women are every bit as entitled to mining jobs as men. At the moment the culture created by management is telling women loud and clear they are not welcome,” Mr Walton said.
“The only way to ensure victims feel safe to speak up is to establish an independent body so they know they won’t be punished and blacklisted.”
WMWA spokesperson Mining and Energy Union President, Tony Maher, said the mining giants need to admit the problem.
“Sexual harassment and abuse is a problem across society, but it’s a problem that’s been grotesquely amplified by mining employers,” Mr Maher said.
“We know there’s an all-powerful culture of ‘get on with job or get out’ on these sites. Production is always the priority and sexual harassment and abuse are treated as an inconvenience.”
“Victims know it’s a grave risk to their careers to come forward with an issues, because you’ll get blacklisted as a ‘trouble maker’,” he said.
“The stampede toward casualising jobs that were once permanent has accelerated the epidemic of sexual abuse on-site. People who rely on being employed on a contract-to-contract basis know that if they speak up they’ll be labelled as an inconvenience and their work will dry up.”
“Mine managers have done virtually nothing constructive to date to address this, because they prefer a head-in-the-sand approach. That’s why they should not be trusted with fixing the problem they created.”
