{"text":[[{"start":7.2,"text":"Workers at BHP’s iron ore operations in Western Australia laid down tools on Thursday in the first mining strike in the key Pilbara region for decades, following months of failed labour talks."}],[{"start":20.2,"text":"About half of the 450 workers at BHP’s Port Hedland export terminal backed the eight-hour strike, part of an escalating dispute over pay and employment conditions at the site."}],[{"start":31.1,"text":"The Pilbara is the source of much of the world’s iron ore, which is used in steel. Port Hedland is one of the largest iron export ports, shipping the vast amount of material that BHP produces."}],[{"start":44.2,"text":"Mining jobs in the remote and sparsely populated Pilbara were once seen as lucrative, but workers say that has changed in recent years."}],[{"start":53.900000000000006,"text":"While the region’s huge iron ore resources have been a backbone of Australia’s economy for decades, they are now under threat from new operations including the Simandou mine in Guinea."}],[{"start":65,"text":"Thursday’s industrial action, involving maintenance and operational workers from three unions, followed lengthy but unsuccessful talks with BHP on Tuesday."}],[{"start":73.7,"text":"The affected workers claim they are on individual contracts that vary substantially in terms of pay and other key elements, and that overall pay levels for the roles have been eroded over the past decade. "}],[{"start":86.05,"text":"Workers voted in June to strike, the first industrial action in the region’s mining sector in decades. The next negotiation, mediated by Australia’s Fair Work Commission, is set for July 21."}],[{"start":99.85,"text":"BHP is among the world’s largest iron ore producers but is tilting its investments towards copper. The highly conductive industrial metal is in high demand as countries build out power networks for AI data centres and charging stations for electric vehicles."}],[{"start":115,"text":"“We remain committed to bargaining in good faith and believe involving the commission is the most constructive, transparent and fair way to achieve the best outcome,” said a BHP spokesperson."}],[{"start":127.45,"text":"“As with all potential disruptions to our business, we have plans in place to ensure operations can safely continue.”"}],[{"start":134.6,"text":"The strike came as BHP reported iron ore production fell 3 per cent year on year in the quarter to the end of June, while copper production fell 5 per cent."}],[{"start":144.54999999999998,"text":"Copper production next year could fall by as much as 15 per cent compared with 2026, the company warned, due to a falling concentration of the metal at its flagship Escondida mine in Chile."}],[{"start":164.25,"text":""}]],"url":"https://audio.ftcn.net.cn/album/a_1784198383_8801.mp3"}