Sept 9 (Reuters) – According to a union coalition, Chevron Corp (CVX.N) initiated the evacuation of contractor workers from its Gorgon liquefied natural gas (LNG) facility on Saturday. This decision followed the commencement of strikes by workers at two significant projects in Australia.
According to a Facebook post by the Offshore Alliance, Chevron arranged a unique flight to Barrow Island today to safely transport 50 contract crew members, comprising both blue and white-collar workers, from the Gorgon Project.
Disagreements between the two factions arise from various matters, such as wage disparities, concerns regarding job stability, regulations regarding work schedules and overtime, and the relocation of employees across Chevron sites.
According to a Chevron spokesperson speaking to Reuters, our company remains committed to implementing measures that ensure the safety and reliability of our operations at our facilities, even in the event of a disruption.
After failed negotiations, Chevron’s LNG projects in Australia experienced a strike by workers on Friday. This strike has the potential to disrupt production from facilities that contribute to over 5% of the global supply.
According to the Fair Work Commission’s website, which mediated the five-day talks, unions and the US energy major did not schedule any further discussions.
Asia is the primary market for Australia, the leading global exporter of LNG.
Chevron’s Gorgon and Wheatstone operations are currently embroiled in a pay and conditions dispute, which has had the effect of bolstering British and European gas prices. This is due to the anticipation among traders that reduced supply from Australia will lead to heightened competition from alternative sources.
This undated handout image obtained by Reuters on September 8, 2023, depicts a panoramic view of Chevron’s Wheatstone LNG facility situated on the Pilbara coast of Western Australia.
Jyoti Narayan reports from Bengaluru, with editing by Tomasz Janowski and Mike Harrison.
(c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2023.
