Unions and Chevron are in discussions to prevent a strike over Australia LNG.

 

The oil refinery is a massive, sprawling structure towering over the Sydney Harbour with many other buildings on top. Image Source | Wiki Commons via Wikimedia Commons via Flickr

Chevron and its trade unions have held last-ditch talks about industrial action across the country in recent days following national strikes by several sectors including truck drivers and train drivers.

The latest strike follows similar actions on Thursday night and Friday morning by union members at Santos’s LNG facility in Port Hedland, as well as BHP’s Rio Tinto plant north of Brisbane.

The Australian National Union of Rail Trainers has also demanded that BHP withdraw from the contract to operate the coal-to-liquids complex in northern Queensland, which was signed in 2018, and return work to their current site.

A striking worker walks outside one of the company's refineries in Newcastle on Wednesday.

BHP and Santos said they were “confident” it would be able to continue operations safely and without disruption without them returning to the mine.

“Despite this setback, we remain confident in our ability to continue as scheduled and deliver for our customers and shareholders,” Santos CEO Darren Reardon told reporters in an email.

“We will continue to negotiate with the union and look forward to coming to a resolution.”

On Monday and Tuesday, unions staged walkouts at multiple gas stations after they called off their first day of service.

The nation’s fourth largest LNG facility – the $10 billion Santos Complex in Port Hedland in New South Wales – has been under continuous security lockdowns since March 26, when protesters walked out because of unsafe conditions, a decision made by operators who had not received or rejected any warning from government officials.

More than 100 people gathered outside the port to protest on Saturday morning before police broke up the rally with tear gas.

The main entrance of the port terminal building in Port Hedland, NSW. (Greensill/PA Media)

Union leaders claimed thousands more Australians joined the demonstrations after arriving back at home or work.

“Every time I get my kids ready to go to school, I say I don’t want anybody walking around looking like he’s got a dead weight on his back,” Labor Senator Claire Chandler said during a visit.

“That’s what happened here today … the way workers were treated and seen. It’s disgusting and we should never see something like this again.”

Unions claim the state has done nothing to address safety issues or provide adequate support for affected employees.

“We know the government will do absolutely nothing about the ongoing health and safety risks facing these workers while they sit down to talk with us,” she added.

“But instead of working with us to keep people safe, they are sitting down with oil companies to find new ways to block this. We need the government to stand up to Big Oil, end our dependence on dirty fossil fuels that contribute to climate change and make sure every single worker that works for them has the same rights as everyone else.”

The United Workers Union (UWU) called its members to take part in the next round of strikes in Perth, Darwin, Adelaide and Hobart, calling their action on Friday “the last chance to stop oil companies using intimidation tactics to prevent workers from taking strike action.”

Workers at the LNG station in Port Hedland, New South Wales, march towards an overhead crane after the LNG started flowing.

The UWWU is calling on all workers in Victoria, South Australia, Queensland, Western Australia, Northern Territory, North Australia and Tasmania to participate in industrial action.

“All workers deserve to feel safe in the workplace,” UWU secretary Tony Burke said in a statement.

“Workers on strike should face no fear of retribution from employers and be supported in finding alternative employment. This must happen now, otherwise hundreds of thousands of workers will lose their jobs and families will suffer irreparable harm.

“If workers cannot take industrial action on the basis of safety concerns then workers and communities across Australia will be further burdened with the cost of living crisis.”