Mining Jobs Knockbacks Get Under John's Skin

• General News
• 26th June 2012

Programmed Maintenance Services finds jobs for people looking for work in the booming mining industry.

Recently they received 3,600 applications from Australians for 80 plant operator jobs with WA miner Fortescue metals.

Chris Sutherland, the firm's CEO, said his firm has no trouble finding Australian workers for resources projects.

Mr Sutherland's comments back up anecdotal evidence from people who call radio talk back programs and complain about making dozens of unsuccessful applications for mining jobs up North.

Most say they are fully trained and qualified for the advertised jobs but often don't receive a reply to their applications.

The TWU also hears from members who have had similar experiences.

Like Port Hedland truck driver John Coyte who called to tell us he has been trying for years to get a start in the mines.

"I applied at least three times for jobs with Twiggy Forrest's Fortescue Metals Group but never heard anything since," he said.

The interesting thing about John's FMG applications is that Twiggy is always boasting about the big number of jobs he creates for indigenous Australians.

John Coyte is indigenous - a first Australian - and he is very proud of his heritage and his worth ethic.

John's grandfather fought for this country in World War One and his dad took up arms to defend us in Borneo and New Guinea when the Japanese were trying to overrun us in the 1940's.

A hardworking bloke, he has an MC license, can drive front end loaders and other equipment and would be very hand on any mine site.

One things for certain, if he works as hard as his hat has obviously worked over the years, he's definitely a hard yakka man.

But FMG couldn't even find the time to reply to his job applications.

So when John found out that Gina Rineheart had been given the green light to bring in 1700 foreign workers at Roy Hill he was more than a little pissed off.

"Roy Hill is only about 300 kilometres away from Port Hedland and I know a lot of indigenous people around here who would like to get work there."

But like the unions and a lot of working people John doesn't trust the wealthy miners word that they will exhaust all local job applications before bringing in foreign workers.

He's had firsthand experience in the matter and you can't blame him for being sceptical.

On a more positive note John called to tell us that he had just snagged a job up North carting side tippers.

However that will not stop him from speaking out against the Government opening the floodgates to cheap foreign labour. He's a principled man who sticks to his guns.