Employers in the mining industry often provide food and accommodation for their employees. These services are usually provided onsite at purpose-built camps located near the mining operation.

Food and beverage service employees in mining camps are generally referred to as catering employees. Common roles for catering employees on mine sites include:

• bar attendants
• kitchen hands
• chefs
• waitstaff

Employers in the mining industry may hire their own catering employees or hire catering contractors to provide food and catering services.

Coverage for a catering employee will depend on the industry of their employer and their classification.

Their classification will depend on their skills, experience and qualifications.

Industry award coverage

Employees employed by a catering business

Businesses that provide catering services to mining camps on contract are covered by the Hospitality Award.

Employees that work in mining camps for catering businesses will also be covered by the Hospitality Award if there's a classification that covers their duties.

Example:

Joanne works as a trade qualified chef in a mining camp.

She is employed by Charcatery, a catering company that provides catering services to mining camps on contract.

Joanne is in charge of a designated section of the kitchen.

Her duties include preparing ingredients, cooking meals for mining employees and supervising newer members of staff within her designated section.

Joanne is covered by the Hospitality Award.

As she is a trade qualified chef and has supervisory responsibilities for a designated section of the kitchen, her classification is a Cook Grade 5.

Employees employed by an employer in the mining industry

Employers in the mining industry can employ catering employees directly.

Coverage for these employees will depend on the kind of mine their employer is operating.

The following awards can provide coverage for catering services employees:

• the Mining Industry Award
• the Salt Industry Award
• the Hydrocarbons Industry (Upstream) Award

Example:

Jamie works as a kitchen hand in a mining camp at a gold mine.

His employer owns and operates the mine and provides accommodation to employees.

Jamie's employer hired him directly to assist in the preparation and cooking of meals for the mining employees.

He follows the instructions of the other two employees and works under their direction.

As Jamie is employed by an employer in the mining industry, he is covered by the Mining Industry Award.

Based on his role and duties, he will be classified as a Level 1 Mining Industry Services Employee.

No industry award coverage

Miscellaneous Award

A catering employee may be covered by the Miscellaneous Award if there is no relevant classification under the relevant industry award.

The Miscellaneous Award doesn't cover managerial or professional employees.

Example:

Rossell is employed by an employer that operates a black coal mining site.

Rossell has been hired as a server in a mining camp owned and operated by the employer. He works under a staff manager.

Rossell has a Certificate III in Hospitality.

Catering employees are excluded from coverage under the Black Coal Mining Award.

Rossell is covered by the Miscellaneous Award because he is not a managerial or professional employee, and the industry award that covers his employer doesn't have an appropriate classification for his role.

His classification is a Level 3 employee.

Award free employees

Catering employees that aren't covered by an industry award or the Miscellaneous Award are award free.

They're entitled to the national minimum wage and the National Employment Standards.