The job cuts in the Pilbara come as unemployment continues to rise nationwide.
The state Labor government tacitly endorsed the job cuts and signalled its commitment to ensuring they go smoothly.
BHP workers cannot defend their jobs through appeals to the company’s “Australian values.”
Recent cuts include: Gina Rinehart’s Hancock Iron Ore cut 300–500 jobs across its Pilbara operations in June.
BHP and other mining workers need to build rank-and-file committees, democratically controlled by workers themselves and independent of the unions.