21st May 2014 08:14
MELBOURNE (Alliance News) - BHP Billiton Ltd said that the Maritime Union of Australia is pursuing an unacceptably high salary rise of almost 10% a year and an increase in annual leave without any link to improved productivity.
Teekay's maritime union employees at Port Hedland are already the highest paid in the towage industry in Australia. Their demands are unreasonable and out of touch with the current economic conditions faced by Australian exporters.
BHP Billiton President Iron Ore, Jimmy Wilson, expressed growing concern over possible industrial action by members of the Maritime Union of Australia or MUA at the Port of Port Hedland.
Wilson said any action by MUA members would have severe consequences for Australian exports and would damage the country's international reputation, and its overall national interest.
He warned that industrial action by the MUA will stop all shipments out of the Port and cost exporters like BHP Billiton, Fortescue Metals Group and Atlas Iron about AUD100 million a day. In addition, the State and Federal Government stand to lose tens of millions of dollars a day in royalties and corporate tax revenue.
Wilson said BHP Billiton was concerned about the progress of conciliation talks between Teekay Marine Pty Ltd and the maritime unions, including the MUA, for new Enterprise Bargaining Agreements.
"BHP Billiton, and the resources industry across Australia, is working hard to improve productivity and remain competitive in a challenging economic environment......... BHP Billiton is actively pursuing the limited options available to the Company under the Fair Work Act to prevent industrial action at Australia's largest export port," he said.
Shares in BHP were trading 0.81% lower at 1,900.5 pence per share Wednesday morning, one of the biggest fallers on the FTSE 100.
Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX
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