Black Coal Mining Industry Award 2025 Pay Rates (MA000001)

Plain-English Summary

Who does this award cover?

The Black Coal Mining Industry Award covers employees working in the extraction, preparation, and transportation of black coal in Australia. If you work as a mineworker, production employee, engineering employee, or staff employee at a coal mine, open-cut operation, coal preparation plant, or coal loading facility, this award applies to you. It covers roughly 40,000 workers across New South Wales, Queensland, and smaller operations in other states.

This award does NOT cover employees at brown coal (lignite) mines, metalliferous mines, or quarries -- those fall under separate awards. It also does not cover contractors whose employment is regulated by the Mining Industry Award (MA000011). See clause 4 for full coverage rules.

How classification levels work

The award splits employees into three streams: production and engineering employees, staff employees, and mineworkers (clause 14 and Schedule A). Production and engineering employees are classified into Groups A through M based on skill, qualifications, and responsibility. Mineworkers progress through induction levels, training, and then to standard, advanced, and specialised classifications. Your employer must classify you based on your actual duties and competencies.

Roster systems and penalty rates

Coal mining operates on complex roster systems including 5-day, 6-day, and 7-day rosters. The penalty rate structure differs depending on your roster type. Employees on 6-day and 7-day rosters have different overtime calculation methods compared to standard 5-day workers. Understanding which roster system you are on is critical to calculating your correct pay.

Classification Levels and Base Rates

All rates effective 1 July 2025. Source: Fair Work Commission Annual Wage Review 2024-25.

Hourly rate = weekly rate / 38. Casual rate = hourly rate x 1.25 (clause 11.1).

Penalty Rates

All penalties are calculated on the base hourly rate (clause 24 and Schedule D).

Full-Time and Part-Time Employees (Standard 5-Day Roster)

Shift Penalties

Casual Employees

Casual penalty rates include the 25% casual loading. The loading is built into the multiplier. See Schedule D.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What are the ordinary hours for coal miners under this award?

For day workers, ordinary hours are 7.6 hours per day (or an average of 38 per week over a roster cycle). For 5-day roster employees, the span is Monday to Friday. For 6-day and 7-day roster employees, ordinary hours can be worked on any day of the roster cycle, including weekends, with different penalty structures applying. See clause 13 and clause 23.

2. How does the 6-day and 7-day roster affect my overtime rates?

If you are on a 6-day or 7-day roster, your overtime rates are calculated differently from standard 5-day workers. Weekend work that forms part of your ordinary roster is paid at the applicable shift rate, not weekend overtime rates. Overtime only kicks in when you work beyond your rostered hours. This is a common source of confusion and underpayment -- check which roster clause applies to you.

3. Do I get a higher rate if I hold a deputy or shotfirer certification?

Yes. Certain classifications carry higher base rates reflecting statutory responsibilities. Deputies and shotfirers are separately classified with rates above the standard mineworker scale. Your employer must pay the rate that matches your actual classification and duties, not a lower rate just because you sometimes perform other work.

4. What is the minimum engagement for casuals in coal mining?

Casual employees must be engaged and paid for a minimum of 4 hours per engagement (clause 11.2). At the base Mineworker Induction Level 1 casual rate ($37.16/hr), the minimum payment for any casual shift is $148.64 gross.

5. Are there separate rates for production employees versus staff employees?

Yes. The award has distinct classification streams for production and engineering employees (Group A through Group M), staff employees (same groupings but different schedule), and mineworkers. Each stream has its own base rates and classification criteria. Production roles tend to attract higher base rates than administrative staff at equivalent classification levels due to the nature of the work. See Schedule A and Schedule B.

Check Your Rate

Working in coal mining? Use our free calculator to check exactly what you should be earning based on your classification, roster type, and shift pattern.

Check your pay rate now

Select your classification (mineworker level, staff group, or production group), tell us your roster pattern and shift type, and get a breakdown showing your exact rate -- including the shift loadings and overtime that are unique to coal mining rosters.

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• creator: Fair Work Commission
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Home > Awards > Black Coal Mining Industry Award (MA000001)

Rates current as of 1 July 2025. Source: Fair Work Commission, CC BY 4.0. This information is general in nature and is not legal advice. Always verify rates against the Fair Work Ombudsman's Pay and Conditions Tool (PACT) at calculate.fairwork.gov.au.