BHP Port Hedland strike enters second day as more workers join stoppage

BHP's Port Hedland strike moved into a second day on Sunday, with about 100 workers joining a 24-hour stoppage and bringing total participation across the weekend to around 150. The action followed Saturday's 24-hour ship-loading ban and marks what unions describe as the first major industrial action at the world's biggest iron ore export hub since 2000, as the Combined BHP Ports Unions seeks a four-year bargaining agreement after more than seven months of talks. BHP ships about $80 million of iron ore a day through the port and has said vessels continued to be loaded, though scheduled departures remain subject to usual port planning and tides; a source familiar with the matter had said around eight ships were expected to complete loading over the weekend, fewer than earlier fears that 16 shipments could be delayed. The dispute is not expected to affect Fortescue or Hancock Prospecting, which also use Port Hedland, while the disruption has supported iron ore prices even as weak Chinese steel demand continues to weigh on sentiment.