BHP gives board 10% pay rise as it cuts 300 Pilbara jobs
BHP's board approved a 10% pay increase days after announcing up to 300 job cuts at its Pilbara iron ore operations.
BHP held its annual general meeting this week and voted to increase base pay for the group chair to US$1,058,200 and for board members to US$193,000. The Electrical Trades Union (ETU WA) immediately criticised the timing, saying the pay rises came days after BHP announced up to 300 redundancies at Pilbara iron ore operations.
ETU WA secretary Adam Woodage called it an 'affront to decency'. Workers in the Pilbara had contributed to BHP's $15 billion profit last year, yet 300 faced unemployment while board members received a 10 per cent raise.
Wages at the operations have fallen behind inflation for more than a decade. BHP said it regularly reviews operations to work safely and productively, and will try to redeploy affected workers within the business.
- US$1,058,200
- Board chair base pay increase target
- up to 300
- Pilbara jobs affected by cuts
- $15 billion
- BHP's profit last year
- 10 per cent
- Board pay rise percentage
Why it mattersWorkers facing unemployment are watching management pocket major pay increases, raising questions about corporate priorities and worker treatment.
AustraliaThis dispute feeds into BHP's existing industrial relations tensions at Pilbara operations, where unions are demanding better wages and conditions for workers.
Corroborated bytheage.com.au·watoday.com.au
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