From the West Australian:
Federal Employment Minister Eric Abetz has handed the Barnett Government and Port Hedland’s iron ore miners a potentially powerful weapon against the spectre of a looming strike at the world’s biggest bulk commodities port.
A new regulation, to take effect from today, allows third parties to be heard in a Federal industrial relations case.
The new regulation in the Fair Work Act appears aimed at a workplace dispute between the Maritime Union and Teekay Shipping, the company contracted to BHP Billiton to provide tugboat services at Port Hedland.
The regulation would enable the State Government, BHP Billiton or Fortescue Metals Group to apply to Fair Work Australia to suspend or terminate a strike.
