Strike on hold as Chevron workers endorse draft EAs

Aerial image of Chevron's Wheatstone project (strike)
Chevron's Wheatstone project

Offshore Alliance members at Chevron have put the brakes on their impending strike after endorsing three draft Enterprise Agreements (EAs) on October 17.

Related article: Offshore Alliance workers strike enterprise deal with Chevron

Offshore Alliance members from three Chevron gas facilities, Gorgon, Wheatstone Platform and Wheatstone Downstream met to consider the three draft EAs which correspond to their worksites.

The new draft EAs have been agreed after lawyers acting for Chevron tried to back away from an in-principle deal done in late September. As a consequence, Offshore Alliance members voted to recommence protected industrial action at the three facilities beginning October 19.

At yesterday’s meeting Offshore Alliance members agreed to suspend that protected industrial action.

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 Offshore Alliance members at Chevron had shown incredible patience with the American petrochemical giant.

“Offshore Alliance members at Chevron have shown incredible patience with this American outfit which kept altering the details of the deal even after they’d shaken on it with the Offshore Alliance negotiating team in late September,” Gandy said.

Related article: Woodside reaches deal with workers, Chevron holding out

“It’s sad Chevron seems unable to do an honest deal, and we hope this can now be put to rest, but if Chevron tries to alter the deal again our members will obviously have no choice but to consider taking protected industrial action.”

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