BHP faces protected strikes at Port Hedland

Unions representing trades and specialist operators at BHP’s Port Hedland operations have issued formal notices of protected industrial action in early August 2026. The Combined Ports Unions, comprising members of the Electrical Trades Union, the Australian Manufacturing Workers Union and the Australian Workers Union/Western Mine Workers Alliance, have outlined a series of stoppages targeting iron ore exports.

The notified program begins with a 24‑hour ban on loading ships at Port Hedland on 8 August 2026. This will be followed by a 24‑hour work stoppage at the Port Hedland Bulk Export Terminal from 05:30 AWST on 9 August 2026, directly affecting BHP’s ability to move iron ore through one of its key export channels.

In parallel, high‑voltage and power workers who are negotiating a separate enterprise agreement will stage a 12‑hour stoppage on 9 August 2026. Their action is timed to overlap with the broader shutdown at the bulk export terminal, adding to the operational constraints expected at the port on that date.

The escalation follows bargaining meetings held on 28 July 2026 between BHP and the unions, which again failed to produce an agreement. After these talks, unions moved to formalise protected action, while BHP sought greater involvement from the Fair Work Commission in the negotiation process.

BHP has publicly described the planned industrial action as disappointing and expressed frustration with the lack of progress in bargaining. The company has requested that the Fair Work Commission oversee the negotiations, signalling an attempt to bring a more structured framework to the ongoing dispute.

The August actions build on an earlier eight‑hour stoppage at Port Hedland on 16 July 2026. That initial stoppage involved roughly 100 workers but resulted in minimal disruption to overall port operations. During that period, seven ships were reported as having been loaded, indicating that BHP was able to maintain significant throughput despite the limited work stoppage.

Market reporting has highlighted the potential financial stakes if the August actions result in a full‑day halt to ship loading. Estimates suggest that a 24‑hour interruption could cost BHP around A$120 million in lost revenue. For the government of Western Australia, a complete day of blocked exports has been estimated to reduce royalty receipts by roughly A$6.85–7 million.

These figures underscore the scale of activity that typically passes through Port Hedland and the financial sensitivity of any prolonged disruption. The combination of consecutive 24‑hour actions and an overlapping 12‑hour stoppage by high‑voltage workers raises the prospect of more significant impacts than those observed during the initial July stoppage, depending on how operations are managed during the industrial action.