BHP Port Hedland workers back industrial action after months of talks

Unionised workers at BHP's Port Hedland operations in Western Australia have voted in favour of protected industrial action, raising the prospect of disruption at the country's largest bulk export port. The vote covers maintenance workers in the Pilbara port town, about 1,600km north of Perth, and could lead to stoppages as soon as next week. The development comes after months of failed negotiations between BHP and unions over a new employment agreement.

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The Australian Manufacturing Workers Union said 90% of its members at the site backed the proposed work stoppages. Results from a separate Electrical Trades Union ballot were expected later on Thursday, and if those members also approve action, around 450 workers could be involved. The ballots asked workers to endorse an unlimited number of stoppages lasting between 30 minutes and 24 hours.

Under the rules described by the unions, staff would need to give five days' notice before any industrial action begins. BHP said it was focused on reaching an outcome that maintained industry-leading pay and conditions. The company also said it had contingency plans to protect workers and keep operations safe and reliable if disruptions occur, although it did not give details of those plans.

The Western Australian Chamber of Minerals and Energy said the union demands threatened to damage the national economy. The scale of the dispute matters because Port Hedland is a major export chokepoint for Australia's mining sector and any stoppage there could affect shipping schedules. The vote is significant because it comes at a time when industrial relations in key resource industries can have wider economic effects.

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Port Hedland handles large volumes of bulk exports, and even short stoppages can create knock-on effects for shipping, logistics and customers waiting on cargoes. For BHP, the dispute adds pressure at one of its most important iron ore logistics hubs. For unions, the ballot is a test of leverage after what they describe as a long period without meaningful progress at the bargaining table.

The current dispute has been building since October, when negotiations began over a new local employment agreement. According to the union statement, members have grown frustrated with the pace of talks. The AMWU state secretary said workers should not have to wait seven months for genuine progress, and said members were demanding to be heard and to secure a fair agreement.

The company, meanwhile, has said it wants an outcome that preserves pay and conditions while keeping operations running. What remains unclear is whether the ETU ballot will also pass and, if so, how quickly any stoppages will begin. It is also not yet clear what form the industrial action will take or how much disruption BHP's contingency plans can prevent.

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