The WMWA formed in 2013 under the leadership of the Mining and Energy Union‘s Tony Maher, and AWU’s Paul Howes. Both unions decided to come together to stop the 30-year decline of union representation in the Pilbara.

We came together, because employers like Rio Tinto exploited union division to disempower their workforce. For a long time, this divide and conquer strategy worked for the bosses who wanted nothing more than to slash the pay and conditions of workers.

But the past 8 years have shown, when we stand together, we cannot be beaten.

In 2022, the WMWA was expanded to include all mining in the Pilbara, and we’ve got exciting plans for the future ahead.

The Alliance is a unique opportunity for these two powerful unions to join forces and represent the workers of the Pilbara. One WMWA membership gives you access to two of the most powerful blue-collar trade unions in Australia.