About 200 shift workers at one of Rio Tinto’s Pilbara mines have gone on strike claiming they are being robbed of nearly two hours’ pay each shift.

WestBusiness understands Linkforce and Minprovise day crews at the Nammuldi mine near Tom Price did not get on the bus this morning.

They are calling for a pay increase to reflect the two-hour travel time to and from site and have asked for the shift to be reduced from 12 hours to 10.

CFMEU North West organiser Paul Ferreira said excluding travel time from pay appeared to be becoming a common issue.

“The word I am getting is a lot of people have had enough, they want to be put on a plane and sent home,” he said.

“This is a casualised workforce so for them to do what they are doing today is a good indication of the feeling out there.

“This does not appear to have been provoked by any union, they have done it off their own backs.”

Mr Ferreira said shifts with long commutes should be reduced to 10 hours to give workers the chance to socialise.

“Yes they are up there to work, but they are not there to be flogged,” he said.

“There are angry, angry workers out there getting screwed every day.”

A Rio Tinto spokesman said the miner was working with Linkforce to resolve the matter as soon as possible.