BHP accused of threatening participating union workers with no pay
The work stoppage at BHP's Port Hedland operations escalated to a full walkout during the weekend amid allegations of "intimidatory tactics" from the mining giant over the industrial action.
Employees from the Australian Workers' Union (AWU) and the Australian Manufacturing Workers Union (AMWU) carried out a 24-hour stoppage on Sunday, after their partial ship-loading ban on Saturday descended into a full stoppage.
The escalation took place on Saturday after BHP allegedly carried out "intimidatory tactics" by threatening 50 participating union workers with no pay.
Separately, workers under the Electrical Trades Union downed their tools on Sunday in a 12-hour strike amid stalled talks for a separate agreement.
The industrial action carried out by the unions comes after an 11th bargaining meeting with with BHP last week that was conducted with the Fair Work Commission (FWC).
The meeting, according to ABC News, led to positive progress between both parties.
"Our members are fed up of BHP's months of delays and denial at the bargaining table," the AMWU said in a statement ahead of the industrial action.
"We're stepping up the fight for a fair enterprise agreement that includes decent base rate wage increases, a fair classification structure with career progression and fair conditions to recognise the highly skilled, high volume, high risk work our members do, 24 hours a day 365 days a year."
BHP: Operations continued at Port Hedland
The AWU said the strike action was "significant," but BHP maintained that operations at Port Hedland continued.
"Vessels are being loaded, with scheduled departures subject to usual port planning and tides," a statement from BHP said as quoted by ABC.
"With around 1,200 people on site across our port facility, our priority is always continuing safe and productive operations."
The mining giant also rejected the allegations that it threatened union workers with no pay.
"Workplace laws are clear that we are not required to pay for the portion of an employee's work that is subject to an industrial ban," it said.
BHP is set to table an updated proposal at the next bargaining meeting with the FWC on 18 August.
Meanwhile, the Minerals and Energy WA warned about the optics of the industrial action carried out by unions.
"International investors are watching and the message the unions seem to be trying to send is that they should take their capital somewhere else," said Aaron Morey, the chamber's chief, as quoted by ABC.
"If that happens, every West Australian will be far worse off."
Morey also pointed out that it was "hard to reconcile" how unions still went ahead with industrial action despite describing the FWC-assisted talks last week as productive.
The chamber head said there was "no case for walking off the job" if talks are "genuinely progressing."
Parties urged to reach agreement
WA Industrial Relations Minister Simone McGurk also urged the parties to continue to reach an agreement in the wake of union threats of further strike action.
"The Pilbara is an important economic driver for our state and for our country, so of course we are keeping an eye on it closely," McGurk said.
"And I think that it's really worth keeping in mind, not just the immediate issues, but the need for good harmonious relationships post the agreement being reached."
