Rio Tinto agrees to negotiate

Rio Tinto will negotiate a collective deal with its iron ore rail workers for the first time in 15 years, the Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union (CFMEU) says.

The CFMEU mining and energy division said the mining giant would negotiate a new collective agreement to cover the wages and conditions of more than 250 workers across its iron ore rail operations in Western Australia's Pilbara region.

Rio Tinto moved to a system of individual contracts more than 15 years ago, CFMEU mining and energy secretary Gary Wood said.

The company's decision to bargain with the union was a recognition the industrial landscape in Australia had changed, he said.

"In its decision to negotiate, Rio Tinto has finally come to terms with the reality that the rights of Australian workers have been restored under the federal government's fairer IR (Industrial Relations) laws," Mr Wood said.

Mr Wood said he hoped it signalled the beginning of the end of Rio Tinto's hostility towards union agreements.

"The CFMEU is hopeful that Rio Tinto's decision to negotiate collectively with its workforce marks the beginning of the new era of co-operation," Mr Wood said.