Mining giant Fortescue Ltd. has been served with a class action in the Federal Court of Australia, alleging systemic workplace sexual harassment, bullying and sex discrimination.
The class action, filed in Melbourne by law firm JGA Saddler, is brought on behalf of current and former female employees who worked across Fortescue’s Australian sites between February 1, 2006 and December 5, 2025.
While the total amount of damages sought remains unspecified at this early stage, the legal action contains accounts from women stationed at remote Pilbara camps, including claims of rape, sexual assault, stalking, and predatory behaviour by supervisors, ABC News reported.
The filed claim details a highly toxic workplace culture, citing instances where drinks were spiked with hand sanitiser, underwear theft was rife in onsite laundries, and professional promotions were explicitly offered in exchange for sexual favours.
The claim also alleges corporate retaliation, stating that women who complained were frequently threatened or pushed out of their roles, including one worker who was presented with a redundancy deed of release within a week of disclosing her pregnancy.
In a statement to the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX), Fortescue stated it was committed to a safe and inclusive environment.
“Fortescue is committed to providing a safe, respectful and inclusive workplace,” the company said.
“Sexual harassment, unlawful discrimination and other behaviour that makes people feel unsafe have no place at Fortescue.”
The Western Mine Workers Alliance noted that despite increased corporate training, a deeply embedded culture of cover-up historically discouraged reporting across the Pilbara.
The union urged the mining major, owned by billionaire Andrew Forrest, to fully embrace external scrutiny.
The lawsuit follows a previous 2023 settlement where Fortescue agreed to spend AU$1.4 million to address inappropriate behaviour following a dispute with WorkSafe WA over a failure to supply internal documents regarding dozens of sexual harassment allegations.
