Billionaire Andrew Forrest has addressed staff after disturbing allegations of sexual harassment at Fortescue mine camps were disclosed in a class action against the miner.Women working at Fortescue filed legal action against the company, alleging decades of systemic sexual harassment, gender discrimination and hostile workplace environments.Staff claim they were warned against washing their underwear in on-site laundries because theft of female underwear was rife.Others reported men stalking them down like an animal, being followed back to their rooms and being subjected to sexual remarks.Mr Forrest told staff in an email on Friday that the allegations were serious, disturbing and had no place at Fortescue, 7News reported.“Let me be absolutely clear. Any form of harassment or discrimination is unacceptable,” the email read.“Physical harassment will not be tolerated. Sexual harassment will not be tolerated.“Anyone who thinks this behaviour has a place at Fortescue is in the wrong company.“Where conduct amounts to criminal behaviour, we will support our people and expect the law to take its course.“Losing your job is the beginning of the consequences, not the end.”The class action was filed in the Victorian registry of the Federal Court on Thursday by law firm JGA Saddler and backed by UK litigation funder Aristata, making it the third class action against Australian mining companies. The allegations focused on the company’s Australian remote worksites and accommodation villages.JGA Saddler lawyer Paris Hamrey said they spoke to thousands of women in mining in the Rio Tinto and BHP sex discrimination class actions, and Fortescue’s worksites kept coming up as alleged places that were unsafe for women.“There have been reports of sexual assault, violence and retaliation especially when female staff reject sexual advances,” she said.“We have heard from women who have lodged complaints about unacceptable behaviour but are then dismissed, demoted, silenced or black-listed from the industry.”Women who have been subjected to harassment or discrimination in the workplace at Fortescue’s Australian mining hubs or accommodation camps, between February 1, 2006 and December 5, 2025, may be eligible to participate in the class action.