WORKERS at BHP’s Port Hedland operations have voted overwhelmingly to take strike action, setting the scene for disruption at Australia’s most important bulk export gateway.
Media outlets The West Australian Newspaper and WAtoday are both reporting that unions will undertake the first Pilbara port stoppage in decades.
The Australian Manufacturing Workers Union (AMWU) confirmed that 90% of its members supported the move, while the Electrical Trades Union (ETU) said a majority of its members had also endorsed industrial action. The strike is expected to affect BHP’s port maintenance workforce, with stoppages possible as early as next week once formal notice is issued.
The vote follows six months of failed negotiations between BHP and its port workforce over a new employment agreement.
ETU WA secretary Adam Woodage said workers had been left with no choice after prolonged attempts to reach a fair agreement.
“We have attempted to negotiate a resolution for more than six months, but BHP’s obstructive conduct has meant we don’t have anyone to negotiate with,” Mr Woodage said. “This company is not the corporate citizen it used to be.”
The AMWU echoed the sentiment, saying members were seeking a fair, transparent and enforceable agreement.
The unions argue that BHP’s refusal to meaningfully engage has pushed the dispute to a point where industrial action is the only remaining leverage.
Port Hedland is the largest bulk export port in Australia, handling more than 500 million tonnes of iron ore annually. Even short stoppages in maintenance or critical support functions can have cascading effects on vessel scheduling, berth availability and ship‑loading efficiency.
While the unions have not yet detailed the exact form of the strike, protected action could include full work stoppages, overtime bans, rolling maintenance shutdowns, or refusal to perform certain safety‑critical tasks.
Any of these could slow or halt BHP’s outflow of iron ore, which typically accounts for more than half of Port Hedland’s throughput.
Chamber of Commerce and Industry WA chief executive Will Goldsby said the strike vote should “alarm the nation”, warning that disruption at Port Hedland could inflict significant economic and reputational damage.
“The Pilbara is Australia’s economic engine room. Strike action in our iron ore sector will inflict significant economic and reputation damage,” he said.
The chamber has linked the dispute to recent changes in federal industrial relations laws, arguing they have emboldened unions and increased the likelihood of protected action.
BHP is yet to comment.