Industrial action in the Pilbara next week for the first time in decades this century is deeply alarming for Western Australia and the nation.
More than 400 workers at BHP’s Port Headland export operations will stage an eight-hour strike on Thursday, after rejecting an offer from the employer.
CCIWA Chief Executive, Will Golsby, said the strike action puts the entire nation’s economic engine room at risk.
“This action is a direct result of sweeping Federal Industrial Relations reforms and CCIWA and others had warned that historic strike action in the Pilbara was a likely outcome of those reforms.
“The Pilbara is the epicentre of Australia’s prosperity and iron ore is our nation’s most significant export. It is deeply alarming that those exports will now face major disruptions from this strike.
“This poses a significant risk to our economy. In the 2025 financial year, BHP’s WA iron ore operations directly contributed nine per cent of all WA government revenue, and more than $6 billion in company tax alone to the Federal Government.
“The Pilbara mining industry has operated peacefully for decades delivering high-paid, secure and safe employment to generations of Australians.
“We urge the Union to return to good-faith negotiations and not hold our economy back.”
