Australian Workers’ Union (AWU) members at Australian miner, refiner, and producer Alcoa Portland have secured the right to strike, after the Fair Work Commission dismissed the company’s application to stop workers taking industrial action.
In July 2025, Portland aluminium workers voted for industrial action after 16 weeks of stalled negotiations, with more than 540 workers at the region’s largest employer on board.
Following an urgent hearing on 14 September 2025 before Commissioner Fox, the commission ruled in favour of the union and rejected Alcoa’s bid to suspend the strike action.
As such, AWU members can continue industrial action to secure better pay and conditions – which represents about 85% of members which had voted to reject the company’s latest enterprise agreement offer.
The union is seeking a minimum 15% pay increase over three years tied to CPI or whichever is greater, as well as a protection of members wages while they await Fair Work Commission outcomes following unfair dismissal.
The protection of wages condition has been in place for over 15 years and Alcoa is trying to remove it.
AWU says the protected industrial action will continue as negotiations remain deadlocked.
The Australian Workers Union is focused on its members getting a better deal at work and improving pay, conditions, and job security.
Write to Aaliyah Rogan at Mining.com.au
Images: Alcoa
