Workers at Rio Tinto’s Gove bauxite mine operations have threatened to walk off the job if the mining giant doesn’t get back to the bargaining table for a new enterprise agreement, which the union says has been delayed for more than two years.

The workers are represented by a number of unions including the Electrical Trades Union, Australian Manufacturing Workers Union and United Workers Union.

“The workers have not received a wage increase for three years,” said United Workers secretary Erina Early.

“Meanwhile, the cost of living in the Territory is skyrocketing along with Rio Tinto’s profits. Rio recorded a profit of almost $15 billion US in the last quarter.

“It’s a huge, global company with massive cash reserves and income generated off the backs of our members’ labour. There are no excuses.”

The unions said the workers are seeking a “reasonable wage increase” and a “few clauses tidied up”, but claim the company has delayed the bargaining process at different times since July 2020.

Previous offers by Rio Tinto have been rejected, but the unions did not say what they considered a “reasonable” wage hike.

ETU organiser Dave “Strawbs” Hayes said taking two years to negotiate a new enterprise bargaining agreement was “ridiculous”.

“This process has been blown out due to the unwillingness of Rio to hear their workers,” he said.

“Instead, they are treating the workforce with contempt. We have successfully run a Protected Industrial Action Ballot, which was overwhelmingly supported by our members, Protected Industrial Action across Rio Tinto Gove Operations is now imminent.”

A Rio Tinto spokesman said the company is committed to continuing discussions.

“Rio Tinto works closely with unions and employees and is committed to fair working conditions for all of its people,” he said.

“At Gove, we have hosted regular discussions with representative unions since 2020 regarding our Enterprise Agreement and are committed to reaching an agreement that recognises our employees’ contribution and allows the business to achieve safe, stable operations.”

Rio Tinto has previously said it expects its bauxite mining operations in the Gove peninsula to end in 2030.