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Posted by Allen Newton
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17 Aug, 2026
BHP AND three major unions will return to the Fair Work Commission tomorrow after a 48‑hour strike at Port Hedland over the weekend.
The strike marked the latest escalation in a long‑running dispute over pay consistency and job classifications across the miner’s Pilbara operations.
Members of the ETU, AMWU and AWU walked off the job from Saturday to Monday morning, claiming the stoppage disrupted ship‑loading schedules and forced BHP to confront what unions describe as “uneven” and “extreme” conditions across work groups.
Workers have since returned to duty, with both sides now preparing for the next Commission meeting on 18 August — the twelfth since bargaining began.
BHP maintains the impact of the strike was limited, saying vessels continued loading and departing across the weekend.
Four ships sailed on Saturday and another four on Sunday, with the company insisting operations remained “safe and stable”.
Unions argue the stoppage was necessary to break what they describe as “glacial progress” in negotiations. ETU WA secretary Adam Woodage said the action had “finally forced movement” on issues of classification transparency and pay alignment.
The dispute centres on BHP’s proposed enterprise agreement for electrical, mechanical and maintenance workers across its Pilbara iron‑ore network.
The company has previously offered a 16% pay increase, but unions say the proposal fails to address structural inconsistencies between roles and sites.
BHP has confirmed it will table a revised offer at the upcoming Fair Work hearing, saying it aims to deliver “industry‑leading pay and conditions” and greater consistency across classifications.
Meanwhile, separate industrial action at the Port of Broome continues to affect cruise and cargo operations, with rolling stoppages at both Terminal 1 and Terminal 2 scheduled through 22 August.
No new protected‑action notices or Fair Work rulings have been issued in the past three days, and both the Kimberley Ports Authority and the Maritime Union of Australia remain in a holding pattern following hearings earlier in the month.
Cruise vessels continue to rely on tenders and manual loading, with KPA seeking Fair Work intervention to secure exemptions for passenger operations. The union’s claims around regional allowances and wage parity remain unresolved.
No further industrial action has been announced at Port Hedland since the weekend strike, but unions have not ruled out additional stoppages if negotiations stall.
The Commission hearing on 18 August is now expected to set the tone for the next phase of bargaining, with both sides signalling they want progress but remain far apart on key structural issues.
