Unions unanimously endorse industrial action at Chevron Wheatstone platform, Australia

Members of Australia's Offshore Alliance have voted unanimously in favor of a protected industrial action at Chevron's Wheatstone platform, the alliance of the Australian Workers' Union and the Maritime Union of Australia, said Aug. 28.

"We have now got 100% support for PIA from members across all 3 Chevron facilities," it said on its Facebook page Aug. 28. " Our members are locked and loaded and ready for PIA."

The results of the PIA ballot were released after the ballot closed Aug. 28.

"We're aware Wheatstone Platform employees have voted in support of industrial action as part of a ballot organised by their representatives," a Chevron Australia spokesperson told S&P Global Commodity Insights. "We continue to work through the bargaining process as we seek outcomes that are in the interests of both employees and the company."

The move comes as Chevron continues its efforts to avert a protected industrial action after union members voted in favor of going ahead with a PIA at the Wheatstone downstream and Gorgon LNG facilities in ballots that closed Aug. 24.

Voting on the proposed enterprise agreements for Chevron Gorgon and Wheatstone Downstream employees will open on Aug. 30 and close Aug. 31, a Chevron Australia spokesperson told S&P Global Commodity Insights Aug. 25.

Chevron declined to comment Aug. 28 on the fate of its impending EA Ballot due Aug. 30 and Aug. 31. The company also did not clarify if the employees can go ahead with a PIA notice before the EA Ballot takes place.

The Chevron-operated Wheatstone Project is among Australia's largest resource developments and the nation's first LNG hub. The Wheatstone Project has a nameplate capacity of 8.9 million mt/year of LNG and a domestic gas plant, while the Gorgon Project comprises a three-train, 15.6 million mt/year LNG facility and a domestic gas plant.