The Maritime Union of Australia (MUA) ramped up the pressure on the Pilbara Port Authority (PPA) on July 28 by applying for protected industrial action at the Utah Point Bulk Handling Facility in Port Hedland, Western Australia.
The proposed strike action comes after the PPA refused聽mediation, through the Fair Work Commission (FWC), on the union鈥檚 claims around wages and housing.
Negotiations began on a new enterprise bargain with the PPA last November. The MUA is seeking to overturn the two-track wages system, which allows the PPA to pay workers recruited after 2017 $30,000鈥$40,000 a year less than those employed earlier doing the same work.
The MUA is also seeking a housing allowance in the enterprise agreement as workers face dire housing shortages across the Pilbara.
The PPA claims it has to abide by WA Labor鈥檚 public sector wages policy, which restricts wage rises to 3% a year. The MUA said this should not extend to highly profitable enterprises, such as the PPA.
鈥淚n our meetings we continue to see the Pilbara Port Authority blame the [WA] State Government for an inability to reach agreement,"聽MUA North West organiser聽聽said on July 28.聽"They cry poor in negotiation meetings with the Union and say the complete opposite to the state government during recent state budget submissions.鈥
O鈥橞rien said the PPA recorded 775.7 million tonnes of exports/imports over 2024鈥25, totalling $153 billion worth of commodities across the four ports. Its net profit, after tax, was $246 million.
He said the WA budget forecast almost $1 billion in net profit over the next four years for the PPA and 鈥淲e find it incredibly hard to believe that they can鈥檛 meet our claims.鈥 The union鈥檚 higher wages claim would amount to just 1.1% of PPA鈥檚 profits this year. Alongside this, the PPA CEO receives $624,000 a year, a 31% jump since 2021, and a higher salary than the prime minister.
With PPA refusing to negotiate, the MUA filed for mediation with the FWC in March. After repeatedly claiming it needed more time to look into the union鈥檚 demands, O鈥橞rien reported the lawyers for PPA have since announced they would no longer negotiate with the union.
The MUA reports that since announcing its intention to strike, the PPA has offered to include company-supplied housing and housing allowances into the enterprise agreement. But it is refusing to budge on the union鈥檚 wages demand.
The MUA is continuing to prepare to strike, initially at Port Hedland. However, given the PPA鈥檚 intransigence on negotiating in good faith, similar action is expected at Eastern Harbour in Port Hedland and the Dampier cargo wharf.