The Hunter Valley’s longest mining strike in more than two decades has ended in victory for workers, with miners at Rix’s Creek voting to accept a new agreement with the Bloomfield Group.
After seven weeks on the picket line, members of the Mining and Energy Union (MEU) have secured all key claims, including improved accident pay provisions and a 17 per cent pay increase across the life of the agreement, backdated to August.
Rix’s Creek Lodge President Mitchell Hill said the outcome proved what collective action can achieve.
“This is what the power of organised labour looks like,” Mr Hill said.
“Our members stood shoulder to shoulder for seven long weeks. They held the line, they supported each other, and they have come out the other side with real and meaningful improvements. This win belongs to every single one of them.”
Mr Hill said strong community support helped sustain workers through the lengthy dispute.
“We could not have kept going without the community behind us. Local families, businesses, and supporters across the Hunter showed up day after day. Their solidarity helped carry us through.”
