BHP iron ore workers vote to strike
- Unionised workers at Port Hedland will halt work for eight hours on July 16.
- The scheduled industrial action places up to $120 million in daily revenue at risk.
- Unions seek cost-of-living wage increases and improved conditions following six months of failed negotiations.
Unions representing workers at the Port Hedland Bulk Export Terminal have given notice of an eight-hour work stoppage on July 16 after a breakdown in enterprise agreement negotiations with BHP (ASX:BHP).
The scheduled action follows six months of negotiations regarding annual wage increases, worker allowances, and living arrangements for fly-in, fly-out staff.
"Despite enormous profits, BHP has spent more than six months dragging out negotiations instead of putting a fair offer on the table," said AMWU WA state secretary Steve McCartney.
The planned industrial action will involve 250 of the terminal's 450 workers, and BHP stated that a full 24-hour closure of the port could disrupt up to $120 million in daily revenue.
The upcoming stoppage marks the first union-backed industrial action in the Pilbara region in over 30 years.
Following the announcement, the BHP share price was down at $56.94.
The dispute forms part of a broader campaign by the Australian Workers Union, the Mining and Energy Union, and the Electrical Trades Union to re-establish organised labour structures within the Western Australian mining sector.
BHP exported 290 million tonnes of iron ore through the Port Hedland facility during the 2024–25 financial year to supply major commodities markets across Asia.
