Union withdraws industrial action at BHP’s Pilbara iron ore operations

Around 400 train drivers for the iron ore division had planned the action this week after rejecting an offer that they said fell short on consistency of working schedules, camp standards and arbitration.

“In good faith we have decided that we would withdraw the action at this stage,” Mining and Energy Union WA secretary Greg Busson told Reuters about the action slated for Friday.

The union is expecting a revised offer from BHP on Monday at the latest, which it is set to put to a vote the following week, Busson said.

Drivers were set stop using a BHP app for roster changes, meaning each worker would have had to be contacted individually if the world’s biggest miner wished to change their working hours. The action was not expected to disrupt production.

“We have…been given a commitment that no further protected industrial action will take place before the agreement is sent to employees for a workplace ballot,” a BHP spokeswoman said.

“After two years of bargaining, we are keen to finalize this agreement and take it to our Rail Operations and Rail Academy teams for a vote in December,” she said in a statement to Reuters.

BHP’s iron ore operations include four processing hubs and five mines that are linked by more than 1,000 km (621 miles) of rail and port facilities. The division accounted for $16.6 billion, or 60% of BHP’s earnings before taxes last year.