Shutdowns, contractors, and dispute prevention when conditions tighten

December in North Queensland mining is where fatigue, weather, and planned work all collide. Shutdowns and high contractor utilisation can bring productivity outcomes, but they also elevate IR exposure when consultation is not properly managed or where workforce expectations are unclear.

In practical terms, the disputes that hurt most are avoidable. They typically emerge from:

• unclear allocation of work between employees and contractors,

• weak consultation on changed work patterns,

• inconsistent treatment of leave, overtime and stand-down options, and

• “policy answers” to operational problems.

Practical focus this month

• Treat shutdown planning as a consultation exercise, not a communications exercise.

• Run a contractor workforce check: who is supervising, who is doing high-risk tasks, and what happens if schedules shift.

• Prepare a plain-English position on work allocation (what is core, what is project, what is specialist).

• Put dispute prevention back into front-line leadership routines (daily pre-starts, issue logging, rapid escalation).

Data snapshot (selected)

• Bowen Basin resource industry workforce (June 2024): 47,155 people.

• Workforce mix (June 2024): contractors 27,815 (59%) and employees 19,340 (41%).

• Wage growth indicator (Australia): Wage Price Index annual growth 3.4% to September quarter 2025.