Electrical Trades Union members working at Chevron Australia’s offshore Wheatstone platform and onshore Wheatstone and Gorgon facilities have endorsed stoppages and bans as they seek a collective agreement that guarantees family friendly rosters, better job security and a transparent promotion policy.

Workers have commenced informal industrial action ranging from open-ended operation disruptions — ranging from between one to 12 hours — and bans that include high-voltage electrical switching, maintenance, software and laboratory work.

Electrical Trades Union spokesperson Adam Woodage said Chevron could avoid significant disruption by establishing a fair agreement that covers its workers.

“The entire cost of what we seek from Chevron will be overwhelmed by just 3.5 hours of industrial action. It is not in Chevron’s interest to provoke a dispute,” said Woodage.

According to Chevron, annual LNG production from Wheatstone at full capacity is 8.9 million tonnes while Gorgon produces 15.6 million tonnes per annum.

The recent spike in gas prices has led to a surge in profitability, allowing Chevron’s gas platform to make an astonishing US$500 per second.