Who works in the mines and what doing

[Hally]

Hi all,

I was wondering for the guys who are working in resource sector (and related services to the sector) if your could tell me if you get health insurance paid for as part of your employee benefits package?

To fully disclose, I work in the private health insurance industry as a national BDM of a health fund that has a significant number of clients in the resources sector. I am looking to get a feel for how widespread this type of benefit is in the industry as I will be aiming to increase our presence in the sector this year.

Mods feel free to delete this post if you think it inappropriate.

Regards,

Andrew

[XR6TCraig]

In my experience, most of the big mining companies ( BMA, Rio) offer this as part of your package, while most of the contractor companies do not.

FWIW I have worked in several open cut coal mines in the Bowen Basin over the last 8.5 years and that's my experience, however this may vary for the underground guys or even guys in iron ore over in WA, so take it with a grain of salt as I cant speak for everyone.

[LyleXR8]

We get paid the cash so we can chose our own setup or go without and keep the money in Ya pocket, most places around here supply you with full cover

[Winter XR8]

Full private health insurance including family cover is part of our contracts. Whenever I go into Bupa they always say that they don't even have access to the level of cover that we do.

[Darrengt]

I worked in open cut mines in wa for ages and most of them also give you private insurance and private health sometimes as well

[buggerlugs]

One of my customers who has a turf farm went back into the mines as a shot fire blaster (is that how you pronounce it ?) as the turf farm was struggling and he didn't want to lay off / lose his staff. Was there for a bit over 2 years on 200k a year, then he and a few other got laid off and he got a package of 130k ....... Good if you can get it....

[Polyal]

And we wonder why Australia finds it hard to compete! Plenty of EBAs getting a big shake up at the moment.

[351c4]

I've worked in the gold sector in WA for the last twenty years as an employee, not a contractor. I've always had to look after my own heath insurance. I am able to get a discount through the company though ( along with Toyota's, tyre's and equipment hire discounts) but they do not contribute.

[Stefan]

Originally Posted by buggerlugs

One of my customers who has a turf farm went back into the mines as a shot fire blaster (is that how you pronounce it ?) as the turf farm was struggling and he didn't want to lay off / lose his staff. Was there for a bit over 2 years on 200k a year....

Surely $200K /year is a little embellished.....or working literally at the end of the earth, even then that sounds unrealistic even pre-GFC

[Polyal]

And those wages might have also been o a roster, which can suck, but some only work for half the year!

[buggerlugs]

Originally Posted by Stefan

Surely $200K /year is a little embellished.....or working literally at the end of the earth, even then that sounds unrealistic even pre-GFC

He had done the job before for almost 20 years. He was in charge of a crew blasting. 200k a year was nothing for some blokes before the bust.......

[351c4]

Supervisory work generally runs towards 200K, depends on the industry. Iron ore generally pays the best outside of oil and gas in WA.
The starting wage is around 100K in gold, supervisory work is paid well due to the section 44 of the mines act which makes the supervisor responsible for the safety of the supervised to the tune of 600K/10 years if found to be grossly incompetent in their actions.
You give up a lot of life for the money and you better have a understanding partner.

[Darrengt]

I'm a fitter and the going rate is $65 an hour so work out what shift you want and away you go. It's a good lifestyle just remember to make the most of it while you can

[buggerlugs]

http://www.couriermail.com.au/busine...9a77c289d9ac46
Hmmmmm not good.........

[Road_Warrior]

Anyone here been caught up in the Atlas Iron or Rio redundancies?

The slow down must be biting as I'm seeing A LOT of vehicles and machinery on trucks coming into Perth from up north and going straight to auction.

[Polyal]

Yeah it aint pretty...my company has ~850M of idle gear!

On a positive note I have accepted, pending a medical, a position in Northern Queensland. Anyone got any info of living in Bowen with a family? It seems to be a town with enough in it for young kids.

Is there a right and wrong side of the tracks?

Excited and nervous but looking forward to it.

[GasoLane]

Originally Posted by Polyal

On a positive note I have accepted, pending a medical, a position in Northern Queensland. Anyone got any info of living in Bowen with a family? It seems to be a town with enough in it for young kids.

Is there a right and wrong side of the tracks?

Excited and nervous but looking forward to it.

I've been through, and stopped there, a few times.
Seemed like a nice little town with friendly people, Baz Luhrmann shot a few scenes for the film 'Australia' there if that's any help

[buggerlugs]

Well, that was an expensive beard.............
http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/s...=1430465268978

[pottery beige]

sorry man couldnt read that ( over my two free looks a day )

http://www.news.com.au/national/sout...-1227329997672

policy is policy, you cant mess with it

[XR6TCraig]

If the guy had offered to buy a respirator to suit his bearded face, what is the issue and why would sacking be the only answer? Wonder what the whole story is?
And having the AMWU on your side is obviously not worth much either.


My mate usd to call them Australia's Most Week Union. Perhaps he was right!

[Polyal]

You got to pick your battles. Sounds like a PIA who pushed his luck to much.

In other news I start my new job on Monday...regional FNQ here I come

[pottery beige]

Happy trails on your new adventure bud

[PHATAL]

I bought one of my blokes a razor yesterday and took it out there for him. It cost me $6.55 not a bad investment for $100k plus per year....

[Road_Warrior]

A bit of a kerfuffle this week about the "suicide roster" 12/1 offered by Goodline for electricians in Port Hedland. One minesite roster veteran reckons everyone needs to harden up:

http://www.watoday.com.au/wa-news/su...05-ggtv9k.html

[Polyal]

Originally Posted by pottery beige

Happy trails on your new adventure bud

Thanks...almost a week down. New system, new role, new site...all good

[buggerlugs]

http://www.news.com.au/finance/work/...-1227408048041

[GasoLane]

Originally Posted by buggerlugs

http://www.news.com.au/finance/work/...-1227408048041

It's not a job for life, so they either want the big fast money or they want a job where they're home with their family every night.

Their choice, nobody is forcing them to do FIFO.

[pottery beige]

Originally Posted by GasOLane

It's not a job for life, so they either want the big fast money or they want a job where they're home with their family every night.

Their choice, nobody is forcing them to do FIFO.

Bingo

[mcflux]

Originally Posted by Polyal

Thanks...almost a week down. New system, new role, new site...all good

Hey mate,

Congrats on the huge change, last I noticed you were down in Tassie? Hell of a change heading to FNQ!

[mcflux]

52 pages = TLR.

Does anyone else here work in the mine in the Latrobe Valley? If so, what's your role, what do you do?

I work at Loy Yang, loving the role but am only a beginner. Still, everything's coming up Millhouse for Ghia5L! My family has a long history in brown coal at Yallourn, I've broken the mold by entering the industry at LY.