The Chamber of Minerals and Energy WA (CME) is disappointed by reports a union ballot of a small group of BHP workers has found support for preparing for protected industrial action.
CME Chief Executive Officer Aaron Morey said the move, which opens the door to the first resources sector strike in the Pilbara in decades, sent a worrying signal to global investors.
“This is a dangerous turn for the Pilbara. Industrial conflict and dispute doesn’t just hurt investment – ultimately, it hurts workers and Western Australian families,” Mr Morey said.
“The log of claims put forward by the Electrical Trades Union (ETU) is not grounded in reality. It proposes total remuneration packages comparable to the WA Premier while also seeking to dictate rostering patterns and workforce composition. Simply put, the union’s demands are unworkable.
“We saw this play out in the 1970s and 1980s when frequent strikes battered productivity and trashed Western Australia’s reputation as a stable and reliable trading partner.
“The legacy of that upheaval was massive investment into Brazil, creating an iron ore industry that today remains WA’s biggest competitor.
“By contrast, deunionisation of the Pilbara in the 1990s led to a golden era of investment and growth in the iron ore industry.
“Moving to a model of cooperative and direct bargaining saw the number of workers at iron ore mines grow sevenfold between 2000 and 2024, from fewer than 9000 to more than 65,000.
“Not only did jobs grow, so did wages. Resources workers today are among the best paid in Australia, earning 57 per cent more than the average worker.
“And the benefits extended beyond the direct workforce. WA iron ore production grew fivefold over the last 25 years, delivering nearly $100 billion in royalties to the WA Government and billions more to the Commonwealth in the form of company taxes.
“The evidence is clear: direct, cooperative bargaining is the best way to deliver meaningful, sustainable wages growth while supporting the productivity of an industry critical to the living standards of all Australians.
“The conflict in the Middle East provides a stark reminder of the importance of the strategic importance of Western Australia’s export industries. Our reputation as a reliable supplier of minerals and energy to Asian markets is one of our greatest strengths as we seek to navigate the unfolding global energy challenge.
“We cannot afford to damage that reputation through industrial disputes based on unrealistic union demands.”
Media contacts:
Josh Zimmerman j.zimmerman@cmewa.com / 0404 947 719
Natasha Mutch n.mutch@cmewa.com / 0435 383 382