Coal miners at Rix's Creek near Singleton have declared a decisive victory after ending the longest strike action seen in the Hunter Valley in a quarter-century, securing significant improvements to both pay and conditions following seven weeks of intense industrial action.
Historic agreement ends bitter dispute
The breakthrough came on Thursday, November 13, 2025, when Bloomfield Group, the operator of Rix's Creek mine, and the Mining and Energy Union (MEU) reached a settlement that concludes months of bitter negotiations. The dispute had escalated into what union officials described as the region's most prolonged industrial action in approximately 25 years.
Miners emerged triumphant with a 17 per cent pay increase over the life of the new enterprise agreement, alongside crucial improvements to provisions for injured workers - the two central issues that had driven the protracted conflict.
Workers' solidarity prevails through challenges
The path to resolution was marked by numerous breakdowns in negotiations and escalating industrial measures. Workers had overwhelmingly rejected the company's previous proposal by more than 90 per cent in a formal ballot, demonstrating the depth of their dissatisfaction.
The situation intensified earlier this week when Bloomfield locked workers out of the mine for three days, citing safety concerns after the union indicated picket lines would continue through November 15.
Rix's Creek lodge President Mitchell Hill praised the resilience of the 351-strong workforce, predominantly from Hunter and Lake Macquarie regions. "This is what the power of organised labour looks like," Mr Hill declared. "Our members stood shoulder to shoulder for seven long weeks. They held the line, they supported each other, and they have come out the other side with real and meaningful improvements. This win belongs to every single one of them."
Outdated injury system finally addressed
The union had identified the mine's injury provisions as particularly problematic. Under the previous system, when a worker was injured, union members personally contributed to top up accident pay to ensure injured colleagues didn't suffer financially.
MEU Northern Mining president Robin Williams had previously condemned this arrangement as archaic, stating: "Our members shouldn't have to subsidise accident pay out of their own wages. Right now, we are literally passing the hat around to top up accident pay. That's not right. It's 2025, not 1925."
The new agreement addresses this fundamental concern, marking what the union describes as "a major step forward for workplace conditions at the site".
Mr Hill also acknowledged the critical role of community support in sustaining the strike action. "We could not have kept going without the community behind us," he noted. "Local families, businesses, other union members, and supporters right across the Hunter showed up day after day. Their solidarity helped carry us through."
The resolution comes as Bloomfield seeks to expand its operations at Rix's Creek, a move that would extend the mine's life until 2049. The proposed expansion involves realigning a four-kilometre section of the New England Highway at Camberwell, pending regulatory approval.
According to the company's 2025 annual report, Rix's Creek extracted 3.39 million tonnes of coal from its southern operation and approximately 970,500 tonnes from its northern mining area between April 2024 and March 2025.
