BHP is recruiting for about 350 permanent jobs at the Caval Ridge and Daunia coal mines in Central Queensland after setting up a new Operations Services unit.

A company spokesman said the new organisation had been created within BHP to accelerate productivity improvements and reduce its use of labour hire workers,assisting to build long-term capability.

A recruitment and information page for Operations Services is now live at https://www.bhp.com/os

A team of directly employed, permanent workers will be assembled in Operations Services to deliver services currently outsourced through labour hire companies.

The jobs will include benefits such as job stability, competitive salary, performance related bonuses, flexible work options and permanent entitlements including paid parental, sick and annual leave, and access to the company share program.

“The goal of Operations Services is to accelerate production improvements and enable BHP to leverage best practice,” the spokesman said.

“Operations Services offers permanent jobs for workers – many of whom are currently labour hire employees and will provide security and flexibility to them, labour stability and productivity benefits for BHP.”

He said the Operations Services model was introduced to parts of the BHP business some months ago, and for the past year the group had been working on building the supporting systems, capability and processes that had made this a possible option.

Member for Dawson George Christensen said it was great to see industry heeding the concerns of local workers and local communities.

“I’ve been lobbying for permanent jobs in our mining industry for some time and the push for an inquiry into mining industry support for both businesses and workers in the regions was a component of that push.

“The report, Keep it in the Regions: Mining and Resource Industry Support for Businesses in Regional Economies, was tabled in the Parliament this week.”

CFMEU Mining and Energy said BHP’s announcement showed that it saw the writing on the wall for the dodgy casual labour hire model widespread in the industry.

“It should not be newsworthy that a multinational mining company operating in Queensland directly employs local workers,” CFMEU Mining and Energy Queensland president Stephen Smyth said.

“Unfortunately, it is. There are thousands of mineworkers in our state employed on dodgy labour hire arrangements with substandard pay and no job security in a model driven by big mining companies like BHP.

“Our union’s efforts to challenge this model in the courts and at the worksites is having an impact.”

Mr Smyth said the CFMEU had written to BHP to seek more information about the proposed conditions of employment for the new positions.

“We will be fighting hard to make sure those workers employed by Operations Services are receiving the same pay and conditions as other directly employed at Daunia and Caval Ridge,” he said.