Dear Rio Tinto Group,

Since January 31st, around 600 workers from your Rio Tinto Borax mine have been locked out of their workplace and refused the right to carry out their jobs. This action was taken after workers, in the midst of contract renegotiations, were given a sudden ultimatum to accept a new contract offered to them by Borax management or be locked out. Feeling that they were unable to accept the conditions set out in the contract, workers attempted to continue the negotiations but were met with security guards when they turned up for work the next day.

At Rio Tinto's annual general meeting in London last month, your chief executive officer Tom Albanese claimed that the only contentious issue of the negotiations was seniority. Whilst this is one problematic aspect of the new contract offered to the borax workers, it is far from the most important. In effect, the proposed contract gives the Borax management complete autonomy to hire and fire workers, to change working hours, to hinder union activity and discriminate on the basis of sex, age, race and religion. Rio Tinto Borax will be turning good jobs into temporary part-time or outsourced positions. Asking workers to accept this contract is akin to asking them to relinquish all job security and collective bargaining rights and, as such, is clearly unacceptable.

Without wages, the workers of Borax are struggling to support their families and the effects of the lockout are being felt throughout the entire community of Boron, with many local businesses suffering from lost earnings. Many employees have 30 to 40 years experience working in the mine, which is one of the largest employers in the area. The lockout is a clear attempt to coerce the Borax workers into acquiescing to these unfair conditions, and to divide the local 30 union, undermining the ability of your employees to bargain collectively.

Given all this, we are asking you whether you will cease the lockout of your employees and return to a meaningful dialogue so that a contract that offers workers job and wage security can be agreed, as well as respecting legal and constitutional equality, health and safety precautions and, most importantly, the right of workers to defend their rights together through their union.