The Maritime Union of Australia will meet with Teekay Shipping (Australia) Pty again on June 12 and the Fair Work Commission on July 3, union official Will Tracey said in an e-mailed statement. It represents deckhands at Teekay, which is contracted by BHP Billiton Ltd. (BHP) to run tugboat operations at the port, located 1,300 kilometers (810 miles) north of Perth.
Strikes by tugboat workers over annual leave and wages threatened to slow iron ore exports by companies including Fortescue Metals Group Ltd. and BHP, which has estimated that disruption may cost users about A$100 million ($93 million) a day. Shipments through the port expanded to a record last month as mining companies boost output, helping push benchmark prices to the lowest since 2012. The unions representing deckhands and tugboat officers have already approved work stoppages.
“Discussions today were very constructive,” Tracey said in the statement. “Tugboat workers work very long hours. They deserve to be paid well and they deserve holidays.”
The Maritime Union of Australia approved unlimited stoppages of 24 hours, 48 hours and seven days, the Fair Work Commission said May 12. The union said on May 22 that it will suspend taking strike action for 30 days to seek a settlement after productive discussions. The Australian Maritime Officers Union approved strike action including unlimited work stoppages ranging from 2 hours to 72 hours, the commission said May 30.
