Jobs cut at Fortescue's WA mines

Jobs have been cut at Fortescue Metals Group as the miner struggles with low iron ore prices.

Fortescue Metals Group's Cloudbreak mine

Fortescue Metals Group has cut jobs at its Cloudbreak mine in Western Australia's Pilbara region. (AAP)

Fortescue Metals Group has sacked workers at its Cloudbreak mine in Western Australia's Pilbara region - it just won't say how many.

It's understood the workers are truck drivers, and jobs have also been cut at the mining giant's Christmas Creek mine.

Some of the employees arrived on site on Wednesday only to be told to return to Perth.

Cloudbreak worker Brad Mitchell said he and his colleagues were not warned of the job cuts.

"They go on about ... how they're such a family company. That's not a way to treat a family, especially me with a two-year-old son, a newborn baby and a wife," Mr Mitchell told 6PR.

"Now I've got no job."

Fortescue flagged roster changes earlier this month, saying it would trim costs while it struggled with low iron ore prices.

On Wednesday the miner said it had communicated with its workforce "consistently since the decision was announced two weeks ago".

"The roster change decision has been a very difficult one for all of us but unfortunately was beyond our control," Fortescue said in a statement.

The company also left the door open to more cuts in the future.

"We are working through changes to our organisational structure across our sites," Fortescue said.

"As part of this process, all opportunities for internal transfers are being fully explored."


Share

2 min read

Published

Updated

Source: AAP


Share this with family and friends


Get SBS News daily and direct to your Inbox

Sign up now for the latest news from Australia and around the world direct to your inbox.

By subscribing, you agree to SBS’s terms of service and privacy policy including receiving email updates from SBS.

Download our apps
SBS News
SBS Audio
SBS On Demand

Listen to our podcasts
An overview of the day's top stories from SBS News
Interviews and feature reports from SBS News
Your daily ten minute finance and business news wrap with SBS Finance Editor Ricardo Gonçalves.
A daily five minute news wrap for English learners and people with disability
Get the latest with our News podcasts on your favourite podcast apps.

Watch on SBS
SBS World News

SBS World News

Take a global view with Australia's most comprehensive world news service
Watch the latest news videos from Australia and across the world