Offshore Alliance members at Chevron have voted to recommence industrial action after the American petrochemical company reneged on the commitment they gave the Fair Work Commission to incorporate its recommendations into Enterprise Agreements (EA) covering workers at the Gorgon and Wheatstone Downstream facilities.
Offshore Alliance members on day shift met yesterday at 7pm (WA Time) and those on night shift met today at 3.30pm and both mass meetings voted to recommence protected industrial action (PIA) after Chevron welched on an deal agreed only two weeks ago.
Since that agreement was reached the Offshore Alliance has been working with Chevron to finalise the drafting of the agreements however as part of that process lawyers acting for Chevron have been attempting to walk back some clauses previously settled.
As a result of Offshore Alliance members voting to recommence PIA the Offshore Alliance has written to the Fair Work Commission to apply to have the matter re-listed, this ensures workplace issues already agreed to won't be lost due to Chevron's recent poor behaviour.
Chevron's recalcitrant industrial posture makes them unusual as many major companies across the Western Australian gasfields have successfully negotiated EAs with the Offshore Alliance.
Offshore Alliance members at Shell and INPEX secured an EA last year and in the last few weeks members at Woodside voted to endorse an EA with the company.
This leaves Chevron as the only major outfit on the WA gasfields without an industry standard EA covering its workforce.
The Offshore Alliance is an alliance between The Australian Workers' Union (AWU) and the Maritime Union of Australia (MUA).
Offshore Alliance spokesperson, AWU WA Secretary Brad Gandy, says Chevron have reneged on the commitments they gave the Fair Work Commission to incorporate its recommendations into Enterprise Agreements covering workers at the Gorgon and Wheatstone Downstream facilities.
"Chevron have reneged on the commitments they gave the Fair Work Commission only two weeks ago to incorporate the Commission's recommendations into Enterprise Agreements covering workers at the Gorgon and Wheatstone Downstream facilities," says Mr Gandy.
"It's disappointing but hardly surprising Chevron have welched on the deal given the bad faith they have shown bargaining with their workforce over the last year or so.
"'The Offshore Alliance is a member-led union and at mass meetings held in the last 24 hours members have resolved to recommence protected industrial action.
"The Offshore Alliance has written to the Fair Work Commission to apply to have the matter re-listed, this ensures workplace issues already agreed to won't be lost due to Chevron's recent poor behaviour," says Mr Gandy.
