GLOBAL MISOGYNISTIC MINING CULTURE

Sexual harassment at Western Australia mines 'appalling and systemic'

Tiffanie Turnbull - BBC News, Sydney
Thu, June 23, 2022

A report into sexual harassment at Western Australian mines was released on Thursday

Colleagues rifling through your underwear drawer. A boss demanding sex in exchange for promotion. Unsolicited nude photos, innuendo, and assaults.

These are all experiences of women in Western Australia's mining industry, as told to a state parliament inquiry.

Its report was handed down Thursday, revealing sexual harassment is rife at sites run by large mining firms.

The landmark report described the harassment as "appalling" and "generally accepted or overlooked".

Australia's richest mining companies - including BHP and Rio Tinto - run large operations in the state's remote Pilbara region, to unearth iron ore, copper and other minerals.

Thousands of workers are flown in each season and housed in village camp-style accommodation.

Critics have long raised concerns about the hard-drinking, male-dominated culture that has been allowed to flourish at these sites.

The inquiry, which ran for almost a year, was prompted by previous court cases. It received nearly 100 submissions and examined some of the state's biggest miners as well as government regulators.

"To hear the lived reality of the taunts, attacks and targeted violence, the devastation and despair the victims experienced, the threats or loss of their livelihood that resulted, was shattering and it's completely inexcusable," inquiry chair Libby Mettam told the state parliament on Thursday.

The long-lasting effects of workplace sexual harassment

One woman quoted in the report said she was "knocked unconscious in her donga [accommodation] and awoke to find her jeans and underpants around her ankles".

Another said: "I have been to about half a dozen sites, and I can truthfully state that I have been sexually harassed at every single one of them.

"The degree to which has varied, from inappropriate comments and innuendo, to salacious rumours, being touched without my consent, and being cornered in a laundry and being genuinely fearful I was about to be assaulted."

Other women reported "powerplay behaviour" known as "shovelling", where iron ore would be dumped on the cabs of female truck drivers if they didn't comply with sexual requests.

Companies like BHP and Rio Tinto have admitted there is a problem and have previously pledged to make changes.

BHP said it had sacked 48 staff for inappropriate conduct over two years, telling the inquiry it had invested A$300m (£168m; $206m) since 2019 into making sites safer.

Rio Tinto promised to improve camp facilities and make it easier for people to "call out unacceptable behaviours", after an internal review found more than 20 women had reported actual or attempted rape or sexual assault in the past five years.

Thursday's report made 24 recommendations, including overhauling reporting processes and training in the sector.

It said regulators should investigate whether a "register of offenders" could be used to stop serial harassers being "moved on" from site to site instead of facing consequences.

'Appalling' abuse: Australia to push miners to set up register of offenders


Iron ore mining operations, including a rail network, can be seen in

 outback Western Australia near the city of Port Hedland

Wed, June 22, 2022
By Praveen Menon and Byron Kaye

SYDNEY (Reuters) - Australia will push its mining industry to set up a register of sexual harassment perpetrators to help rein in abuse, a cabinet minister said, after a state government report detailed cases of "horrifying" and "appalling" behaviour against women.

The inquiry by mineral-rich Western Australia, home to the bulk of the country's iron ore industry, also criticised mining giants such as BHP and Rio Tinto for ignoring or overlooking unlawful and criminal behaviour.

The release of the report on Thursday followed a year-long investigation into concerns about a culture of sexism and bullying that fuelled public anger about workplace conditions last year, leading to what has been called Australia's MeToo moment..

Australia accounts for about half of the world's iron ore exports and women have long complained of sexual harassment in so-called "fly in, fly out" mining camps, temporary accommodation set up at remote mines to house workers.

"Any case of sexual harassment is one too many," said Resources Minister Madeleine King in a statement, which added that the federal government would work with Western Australia to support all 24 recommendations in the report.

"The Australian Government stands ready to help the resources sector stamp out sexual harassment, which has no place in the modern workplace," she added.

Examples cited in the report included stalking, texting of lewd material, requests for sexual favours in return for a permanent job and sexual assaults.

One woman told the inquiry how she was knocked unconscious in her accommodation hut and awoke to find her jeans and underpants around her ankles, leaving her feeling "sick, ashamed, violated, dirty and very confused".

Another told of a powerplay behaviour known as "shovelling" where iron ore would be dumped on the cab of trucks operated by women if they didn't comply with sexual requests, according to the report.

Individuals who spoke to the committee said perpetrators of serious harassment simply changed work sites or were employed with a different company, the report said.

Its 24 recommendations included having the industry consider an offender register or other options "which could operate effectively and fairly to prevent habitual sexual harassment offenders continuing to be re-employed."

It also recommended establishing a forum to document victims' historical experiences, and explore opportunities for redress, such as formal apologies and compensation. And it recommended changing laws to put the onus on companies to keep a harassment-free workplace, rather than on individuals to speak up.

Other proposals related to improved reporting of harassment, better training for workers and managers, improved accommodation and security at mine camps as well as restrictions on drinking.

CULTURE OF ABUSE

Major global miners including BHP, Rio Tinto and Fortescue made submissions to the inquiry, most of them acknowledging that sexual harassment is rife at mining camps in Western Australia, and promising reforms.

But bullying and abuse have continued in the sector over the past 18 months.

Rio said in a statement that it would closely study the recommendations contained in the report. BHP acknowledged the report and said it was committed to creating a workplace that is safe, respectful and inclusive at all times.

Fortescue Metals Group Chief Executive Elizabeth Gaines said: "We acknowledge that some inappropriate behaviour still occurs and in line with our zero-tolerance approach to harassment, bullying, discrimination and intimidation, we will continue to encourage our team members to call out inappropriate behaviour..."

Rio published its own report in February which found that nearly 30% of women had experienced sexual harassment at work, with 21 women reporting actual or attempted rape or sexual assault.

Western Australia's mining sector employs about 150,000 people and generated A$208 billion ($143 billion) in export revenue in 2020/21.

"The recommendations are good, they had a good handle on what was happening, and they didn't let the mining industry escape responsibility," said Kerin Collins, a former worker at a "fly in, fly out" camp for BHP who testified at the inquiry.

But Collins warned that an industry register of perpetrators could be open to abuse and could detract from putting responsibility on the companies.

"That would be really devastating if a person was put on that incorrectly," Collins said by phone. "It's the regulation, and failing to regulate, the industry that needs to be looked at."

(Reporting by Praveen Menon and Byron Kaye, with additional reporting by James Redmayne; Editing by Richard Pullin and Raju Gopalakrishnan)

Factbox: Australia's inquiry into sexual harassment in mining


 A stacker unloads iron ore onto a pile at a mine located in the Pilbara region of Western Australia

Thu, June 23, 2022,
By Praveen Menon and Byron Kaye

SYDNEY (Reuters) - An Australian state government inquiry into abuse in the mineral-rich west has found the mining industry perpetuated a culture that led to women being subject to frequent sexual harassment and sexual assault.

Women have long complained of sexual harassment in so-called "fly in, fly out" (FIFO) mining camps, temporary accommodation set up at remote mines to house workers.

Here is a list of the key findings and recommendations after the inquiry by the government of Western Australia:

FINDINGS:

-Women in the mining industry frequently have to deal with sexual harassment and sexual assault

-A broad range of unlawful and criminal behaviour was ignored or overlooked by employers

-FIFO camps had all major risk factors for sexual harassment like poor culture, gender inequality and power disparity in the workplace

-Managers and supervisors were seeking sexual favours from women in exchange for promotions or permanent employment

-When people are found to have behaved unacceptably, there has been a practice of ‘moving them on’ rather than dismissing them, allowing them to continue in the industry

-Women are under-represented in the mining industry, making up 19.1% of the total work force. This figure has remained largely unchanged since 2008.

-All companies that appeared before the committee stated that sexual harassment was unacceptably prevalent in the industry.

-Company statements of regret were sincere but limited, and rarely included accepting responsibility for allowing the situations to arise.

-The failure of companies to understand what was happening in their work places must be seen as a sign of corporate failure

-Industry regulator failed to record widespread cases

RECOMMENDATIONS:

-Government consider establishing a forum to hear and document experiences of victims, and explore opportunities for redress, such as apologies, compensation

-Mining and other resources companies need to ensure serious

repercussions, including dismissal, for any person who has attempted to seek sexual favours for advantage and that all proper legal actions will be taken against them

-Industry must explore setting up an industry-wide workers’ register or other mechanism, taking into account natural justice considerations

-Mining companies must as a minimum implement moderate drinking standards for all FIFO accommodation sites

-Industry should ensure that sexual harassment and assault training is accredited, fit-for-purpose, and delivered by suitable practitioners. Training should be mandatory and

ongoing for all employees.

(Editing by Raju Gopalakrishnan)

‘Horrific’ sexual abuses uncovered in

 Australia mining probe

23 June 2022 BY JASON SCOTT

Among recommendations were the payment of compensation to the many workers who became victims of bosses and colleagues on remote projects.

Image: Bloomberg

A landmark inquiry into Australia’s mining sector has uncovered dozens of shocking cases of sexual harassment and abuse of women workers at companies including BHP Group and Rio Tinto Group.

The Western Australia government report released Thursday described “horrific” incidents at the workplaces, which it labelled both a failure of the industry and an oversight by government. Among recommendations were the payment of compensation to the many workers who became victims of bosses and colleagues on remote projects.

“I was shocked and appalled well beyond expectation by the size and depth of the problem,” Libby Mettam, chair of the inquiry, said in the report. “To hear the lived reality of the taunts, attacks and targeted violence, the devastation and despair the victims experienced, the threats to or loss of their livelihood that resulted was shattering and completely inexcusable.” 

The probe delves into the dark corners of an industry that’s under mounting pressure from investors, governments and society to address its impacts on local communities and the wider environment. BHP and Rio Tinto issued their own inquiries after allegations from women emerged in Western Australia’s $159-billion a year resources industry, where so-called Fly In-Fly Out (FIFO) workers are transported to remote sites for several weeks at a time.

Among the allegations of abuse revealed in the report were:

• A woman involved in a safety issue was told by a supervisor she could “make the issue go away” if she had sex with him.
• Another was knocked unconscious in her room and woke up undressed with her jeans around her ankles.
• Another described how a man forced his hands down her top several times in front of other workers and “no-one did anything.”
• After complaining about colleagues making sexual jokes about her, a woman said her supervisor’s response was to “force himself on her.”
• Sex dolls and toys placed in women’s sleeping quarters; women were victims of stalking, unsolicited texting, and provocative photo requests.
• “Shovelling,” where iron ore was dumped inside the vehicles of women drivers who didn’t comply with sexual requests.
• 
  

BHP, Rio Tinto

The inquiry revealed that BHP Group recorded 91 reports of alleged sexual harassment or assault in the year through June 30, 2021, of which 79 were substantiated. Rio Tinto, from January 2020 to August 2021, received 51 complaints of sexual harassment or assault in FIFO operations, including one substantiated report of sexual assault and 29 substantiated reports of sexual harassment.

“Rio will closely study the report’s recommendations,” Rio’s iron ore chief Simon Trott said in an emailed statement. “The courage of people coming forward to tell their stories has been critical in terms of shining a light on behaviours that must change within our company and our industry.”

Allegations of abuse were also received at projects operated by Woodside Petroleum, Fortescue Metals Group, and Chevron Corp.

Chevron will also review the findings and the inquiry has “provided a critical opportunity to learn, act and improve,” the company said in a statement. 

Fortescue’s chief, Elizabeth Gaines, said that while the company has implemented safety enhancements at worksites after conducting its own review, “we acknowledge that some inappropriate behaviour still occurs.” 

“In line with our zero-tolerance approach to harassment, bullying, discrimination and intimidation, we will continue to encourage our team members to call out inappropriate behaviour, to speak up and take clear decisive action when they do identify behaviour which does not align with our values,” Gaines said in a statement.

BHP and Woodside didn’t immediately respond to requests to comment on the details of the report.

Male-Dominated Camps

In Western Australia, a resource-rich state four times the size of France that’s the centre of a massive iron ore industry, remote mines that can only be accessed through flights by FIFO workers have been especially risky for women. They remain largely male-dominated, with workers living in camp-style accommodation.

A report commissioned by Rio Tinto and released in February showed more than a quarter of its female workers have experienced sexual harassment and almost half of all staff have been victims of bullying. Larger rival BHP last year said it fired 48 workers at its sites in Western Australia since 2019 after verifying allegations of harassment.

The Western Australian government should “consider establishing a forum to hear, document and acknowledge the experiences of victims of historical workplace sexual harassment,” the report recommended. “Part of this process could include exploring opportunities for redress, such as formal apologies from companies and/or perpetrators and appropriate compensation.”

Other recommendations in the report, which are expected to be accepted by the state government, include:

• Ensuring mining and other resources companies enforce serious repercussions, including dismissal, for any person who has attempted to seek sexual favours for advantage and that all proper legal actions will be taken against them.
• The industry must explore ways to prevent perpetrators of serious sexual harassment finding reemployment on other sites and in other companies.
• The mining and resources industry must establish acceptable standards for accommodation facilities, including security and other safety measures.

“We were told how sexual harassment is generally accepted or overlooked, of the abuse of positions of power, serious breaches of codes of conduct, and a culture of cover-up,” Mettam said. “It is simply shocking this could be taking place in the 21st Century in one of the state’s most lucrative industries.”