From the ABC:
BHP Billiton has warned that a strike involving tugboat workers at Port Hedland, the world’s biggest bulk export port, will significantly affect Australia’s iron ore exports.
The company issued a statement describing the industrial action, over pay and conditions, as “irresponsible”, saying it could cost iron ore suppliers about $100 million a day.
The deckhands, who are members of the Maritime Union, have supported a ballot to take protected industrial action for up to a week at the Pilbara port.
They are demanding better pay and work conditions under a new enterprise bargaining agreement with tugboat operator Teekay Shipping.
Two other maritime unions, the marine engineers and maritime officers, are also considering strike action.
BHP says the state and federal governments also stand to lose royalty and tax revenue as a result of the strike.
“We estimate this will cost suppliers who ship out of Port Hedland around $100 million a day,” the company said in a statement.
“Significant royalty and tax revenue will be lost to the Western Australian and federal governments.
“Mining companies like BHP Billiton are not able to make up lost volume of this nature, and governments cannot recover these lost royalties and taxes.”
Will Tracey from the Maritime Union says 100 per cent of the vote supported a 24-hour strike, and there was 98 per cent support for a 48-hour strike and a week long strike.
“We’ve had a number of meetings but when the company continues to slide backwards on what we thought was a previously agreed position, workers have no other option but to go down that path,” he said.
There’s no apparent effect on either equities or Dalian iron ore futures. I guess they realise unions will win.
