BHP Electrical Workers at Port Hedland to Vote on Strike, Risking Iron Ore Shipments

Hundreds of BHP's electrical workers at Port Hedland, Australia, will vote on potential strike action within two weeks, the Electrical Trades Union said on May 29, raising the risk of disruptions to iron ore shipments from the world's largest export hub. A strike could "very likely" occur by the end of June if a pay deal is not reached after six months of stalled negotiations, the union added. Port Hedland handles all of BHP's iron ore exports from Western Australia. The labour agreement covers around 450 port workers, of whom about 200 are ETU members. Unionized workers will vote to endorse work stoppages ranging from 15 minutes to 24 hours. The union said a strike could halt operations at the port, while BHP said it has strong contingency plans to maintain safe, reliable operations. BHP shares rose 1.4% to A$61.45 on May 29, in line with the broader market. The union cited BHP's A$15 billion annual profit, arguing workers deserve a share. BHP said it is negotiating a new agreement with its port operations teams.