Local mineworkers to rally in Mudgee over stalled agreement

• Contractor numbers at the Ulan Underground mine increased 44% to 215 between July 2025 and August 2026.
• Local mineworkers will rally in Mudgee as enterprise agreement negotiations remain unresolved before the Fair Work Commission.
• The Mining and Energy Union stated that the operational shift relies on transient labour over permanent local positions.

Mineworkers plan to hold public rallies in Mudgee following two consecutive seven-day lockouts during ongoing wage bargaining.

Glencore increased contractor numbers at its Ulan Underground mine by 44% between July 2025 and August 2026.

The expanding contract workforce of 215 contrasts with the addition of 12 permanent workers since September 2024.

"Glencore has flooded Ulan with out-of-towners who take their money home with them while barely employing any new permanent workers," said Mining and Energy Union South Western District President Bob Timbs.

The union stated that local underground workers earn 11.5% less than employees at the adjacent Ulan West operation.

The Fair Work Commission declared the labour negotiations intractable in December 2025 after bargaining stalled without resolution.

Glencore appealed the regulatory declaration to a Full Bench panel, leaving wage rates unchanged since March 2023.