Key facts
- Over 100 BHP Port Hedland iron ore workers will vote on strike action.
- The Australian Workers Union (AWU) applied for a ballot to be held in the coming weeks.
- Two other unions, ETU and AMWU, have already voted in favor of strikes.
- Negotiations for a new enterprise agreement have been ongoing since October 2025.
- Port Hedland is a critical export hub for BHP's iron ore supply chain.
- A strike could cost Western Australia A$6.85 million per day in iron ore royalties.
Over 100 workers at Australian mining firm BHP's Port Hedland iron ore operations are set to vote on authorising strike action in the coming weeks. This potential action follows similar votes by members of two other unions, the Electrical Trades Union (ETU) and the Australian Manufacturing Workers' Union (AMWU), who have already approved proceeding with strikes.
The Australian Workers Union (AWU), representing more than 100 workers at BHP's port operations in Western Australia's Pilbara region, has applied to the Fair Work Commission (FWC) to hold a ballot. If approved, this ballot will allow union members to legally take strike action, with the vote anticipated in the next few weeks.
BHP has been engaged in negotiations for a new enterprise agreement with its Port Hedland workers since October 2025. The agreement is intended to cover approximately 450 employees, excluding contractors. The ETU and AMWU members, numbering around 150, are eligible to strike and must provide BHP with five days' notice before initiating action.
Port Hedland serves as the world's largest bulk iron ore export port and is a crucial component of BHP's Western Australian iron ore supply chain. The company produced 257 million tonnes of iron ore in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025. A shutdown of operations at the port could result in a daily loss of A$6.85 million ($4.82 million) in iron ore royalties for Western Australia. BHP is also currently in negotiations for new enterprise agreements at its Mining Area C and South Flank iron ore operations.