The Maritime Union of
Australia has agreed with the tugboat company Teekay Shipping that tugboat workers at Port Hedland,
Australia's biggest
iron ore port located in the Pilbara region of Western
Australia, will call off their planned strike for at least 30 days, according to media reports.
The Maritime Union of
Australia said that it has suspended the strike action to allow Teekay to proceed with negotiations over new payment terms and working conditions.
As SteelOrbis previously reported, regarding the possible strike by tugboat workers at Port Hedland, Australian miner
BHP Billiton warned that this industrial action might cost the suppliers who ship from Port Hedland about $100 million per day.
On May 13, the union had announced that the tugboat workers would go on a strike for up to a week in 30 days' time.