Two mining industry giants are accused of allowing unsafe workplaces where women face harassment and discrimination.
A machinery operator facing a campaign of harassment before being urinated on at BHP sites and a security guard receiving unwanted sexual advances with the promise of permanent employment at Rio Tinto are among the allegations claimed in lawsuits filed on Wednesday.
No action was allegedly taken when woman working at Rio Tinto sites in Western Australia reported offensive comments about rape or whether another woman working at the site was “f***able”, but claims she was later reprimanded for say bad words.
Woman who worked at BHP facilities in Queensland and New South Wales claims none of her co-workers did anything while man banging on glass window abused her like a ‘c***’ working in mining ‘just to get laid’. near her head and urged her to “come and fight with me.”
The man was escorted from the location after she made a formal complaint to a supervisor, who allegedly flagged her as unfit for further training.
She was allegedly harassed by a contractor who became abusive after she rejected his repeated advances, before he walked up behind her in a parking lot and urinated on her.
She was never contacted about the complaint she made but her contract was not renewed, unlike her co-workers who remained in the position.
The two women, who are not being identified for legal reasons, are lead plaintiffs in class-action lawsuits filed in Federal Court.
Angela Green appears in the photo
Fifteen workers allege that their co-workers never defended them (archive image)
JGA Saddler’s lawyer, Joshua Aylward, said the cases give a voice to other women who feared they would lose their jobs if they spoke out.
“BHP and Rio Tinto sent female staff to these sites knowing there was a high risk of personal danger, and then punished them with demotion, dismissal or discrimination when they reported it,” Mr Aylward said.
Potentially thousands of women who were subjected to harassment or discrimination at the two companies’ facilities since 2003 are eligible to participate.
Companies will be required by law to contact women who worked for them.
A Rio Tinto spokesperson told AAP the company was aware of the filing of the lawsuit and treated such claims with the utmost seriousness and does not tolerate sexual or gender-based harassment.
“This extends to our entire network, including business partners, contractors and suppliers,” they said.
“We are absolutely committed to creating safe, respectful and inclusive workplaces.”
The company pointed to an external review by former Australian Sex Discrimination Commissioner Elizabeth Broderick in 2021, which, according to a recent progress review, is “helping to make Rio Tinto a better place to work.”
Pictured is a Rio Tinto mine.
“It also found that there is still work to be done to foster an environment where all employees feel safe, valued and respected,” the spokesperson said.
A BHP spokesperson told AAP it is committed to providing a safe and respectful workplace for everyone.
“Sexual harassment has no place in our workplaces or anywhere else,” they said.
“We deeply regret and apologize unreservedly to anyone who has experienced any form of harassment at BHP,” they said.
The company has focused on addressing disrespectful behavior, including sexual harassment, which it treats as a health and safety risk, with a wide range of controls focused on prevention, reporting and response, they said.
Aylward said women in mining “don’t want another independent review”.
“They want change and deserve a safe and respectful workplace.”
1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732)
National Support Service for Reparation and Sexual Abuse 1800 211 028
Life line 13 11 14
End point Australia 1800 385 578