The Australian Financial Review reports global energy giant Chevron has accused some unionised wharfies of taking up to three times longer than necessary to load crucial material for the construction of its A$43 billion Gorgon liquefied natural gas project off Western Australia's Pilbara coast.
The oil and gas giant is seeking a Federal Court order that would pressure Maritime Union of Australia-affiliated (MUA) workers to speed up work at the Australian Marine Complex (AMC) at Henderson, south of Perth.
A Chevron spokesman said vessels at the marine complex were taking up to three times longer to load than should be the case.
"Gorgon is reaching a critical stage in its construction and more than 4,000 workers on Barrow Island are heavily dependent on reliable and efficient stevedoring operations at the AMC and elsewhere," the spokesman said.
The court order is also designed to dissuade workers from taking part in unprotected industrial action because they could be found to be in contempt of court.
A source familiar with the litigation said such action would expose the workers, who are employees of stevedoring company Patrick, to greater penalties than might be imposed by the workplace tribunal.
An MUA spokesman said the union would defend the court action.
In June, a vessel called the 'Rolldock Sun' sat empty at Henderson after wharfies complained about safety issues and alleged that the operators were exploiting the use of foreign crews.
Patrick took the dispute to Fair Work Australia (FWA) and, consequently, the MUA was banned from taking industrial action against the company for two months.
Chevron's lawyers have alleged that the MUA and up to 15 workers breached FWA's order by engaging in unlawful actions after the ban was in place.
The company's court application also seeks to prevent workers from performing work "in a manner different from that in which it is customarily performed". This injunction appears to be designed to pressure wharfies to speed up work.
Chevron alleges that, in June, workers were taking up to 12 days to load vessel, rather than four.
A Chevron spokesman said loading activity was still short of benchmark performance even if it had improved.
Source: Australian Financial Review
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