Legal Action Initiated Against BHP Over Holiday Work Practices

A class action lawsuit has been filed against BHP's subsidiary, Operations Services, following a Federal Court ruling that deemed the company’s practices regarding public holiday work as unlawful. This legal move comes on the heels of a significant ruling from 2025 that found BHP breached the Fair Work Act by mandating employees to work on Christmas Day 2019.

The class action, which is set to be led by AEN Legal from Sydney and is backed financially by the Mining and Energy Union (MEU), could potentially impact around 7,000 employees. These individuals, who were employed by Operations Services between December 2019 and March 2023, span various mining operations across Queensland, New South Wales, Western Australia, and South Australia.

MEU Queensland president Mitch Hughes expressed concerns regarding the lack of proper consultation from management regarding shift allocations. He mentioned instances where employees were randomly selected to work on holidays, which he described as a troubling practice. Hughes criticized BHP's decision to maintain full production during public holidays, stating that it reflected a harsh management style.

As this class action unfolds, BHP has announced its intention to appeal the previous Federal Court ruling, with a hearing set for November 9. The company has refrained from commenting further on the ongoing legal proceedings.

Source: www.abc.net.au