Will Tracey, MUA’s Assistant Western Australia Secretary, said, ”Industrial action is always a last resort and we still hope that we can come to an agreement without having to take the action which has been sanctioned by the Fair Work Commission.”
Mining giant BHP Billiton has denounced planned strike action by tugboat workers at Port Hedland, saying it will cost resource companies $100 million a day.
The Maritime Union of Australia’s WA branch announced Monday that deckhands working for Teekay Shipping had voted to take protected industrial action.
The move, which threatens to shut down exports out of Port Hedland by BHP, comes following failed negotiations between the MUA and Teekay over a new pay deal failed to reach agreement.
Port Hedland is Australia’s largest bulk export facility, shipping out almost 300 million tonnes of product, most of which was iron ore, in 2012-13.
The MUA’s assistant WA secretary, Will Tracey, said the main sticking points revolved around annual leave and pay.
The union is seeking to secure four weeks annual leave for deckhands, who currently get none, arguing it is an entitlement that applies across the industry.
“Industrial action is always a last resort and we still hope that we can come to an agreement without having to take the action which has been sanctioned by the Fair Work Commission,” Mr Tracey said.
“We understand that Port Hedland is very important to the Australian economy and so we want to ensure that the best tugboat workers can be attracted to work at such a remote location. The best way to do this is to ensure the right wages and conditions are put in place.”
A spokeswoman for BHP, which is the biggest exporter out of Port Hedland, criticised the decision of MUA members as “disappointing”.