In a study by the Australian Bureau of Statistics, commissioned by the CFMEU, the pay difference between mine workers proved to be varied, in some cases by up to $A100,000, which according to the union shows workers on collective agreements are better off than their peers.

The high unionisation of the coal industry is credited with boosting workers’ salaries to the top of their trade, with workers earning an average of $2045 per week or more than $106,000 per year.

By comparison, miners in the metal ore industry, particularly those on AWAs and common law contracts, earn about $1624 per week or $84,450 per year for doing the same job.

CFMEU national president Tony Maher said the figures highlight what the Australian Mines and Metals Association and the Minerals Council of Australia confirmed earlier this week, that miners’ salaries were not as high as they are perceived to be, especially when considering the overtime hours involved.

Earlier this week Opposition Leader Kevin Rudd said the Labor Government stands to abolish AWAs for workers earning more than $100,000 a year, which will affect about a third of all mine workers.

Maher said he was pleased that mining bosses had openly admitted that mine workers are not so well paid and the statistics proved that workers in unions are better off than others.