AWU launches fresh action against Rio Tinto

Nine days after AWU national secretary Paul Howes declared war on Rio, the union will today file papers in Fair Work Australia claiming the company's "undue and intimidating questioning" of workers at the Bell Bay smelter in Launceston was in breach of the Fair Work Act.

In a letter to Rio Tinto Alcan, AWU Tasmanian secretary Ian Wakefield said a number of Bell Bay employees -- union and non-union workers -- had been questioned by managers and supervisors about their union membership and union activity.

"Employees have been asked about union membership, union association, union questionnaires, and some employees were asked about their status as delegates and involvement in Fair Work Australia proceedings," he wrote.

"In addition to singling out a number of employees, management has addressed groups of employees about union membership and employees raising workplace issues with the union. Members and non-members were asked specific questions about their relationship with the union and the relationship of other employees with the union."

A Rio spokesman said the company was unaware of any intimidation of employees.

"Rio Tinto Alcan Bell Bay is not aware that any of our employees have been intimidated through inappropriate discussions or questioning about AWU membership or union activities," he said. "We do not tolerate any intimidation in the workplace."

Mr Howes yesterday wrote to members of the federal ALP caucus, setting out the union's position in the wake of the criticism of his attacks on Rio at the union's national conference last week.

"The AWU prides itself on being a responsible union which does all it can to achieve good outcomes for our members," Mr Howes told Labor MPs.

He insisted the union wanted a constructive relationship with Rio, but the company had failed to negotiate, had employed workers on conditions inferior to unionised facilities and "regularly intimidated" workers into not joining the union or organising at work.

According to a union "fact sheet" circulated to Labor MPs, process operators at Bell Bay were paid on average $22,000 less than operators doing the same role at Alcoa Portland in Victoria. The union said an operator at Alcoa Portland earned $98,260 annually, taking into account allowances, shift penalties and loadings. At Bell Bay, the union claims, a worker doing the same role earns $76,000 a year.

The AWU says process controllers at the unionised Alcoa Point Henry site in Victoria earn $104,458, including allowances, penalties and loadings. It claims process controllers at Bell Bay earn $84,000 a year doing the same role.

A Rio spokesman declined to provides specific pay figures. "Rio Tinto Alcan provides competitive remuneration and employment benefits to attract and retain employees," he said.

It is understood Rio representatives have been meeting with government figures to push the company's position.