An alleged strike conducted on Darwin’s Inpex gas project in 2013 could see workers hit with fines of up to $10,000 for participating in unlawful industrial action.
The Construction Forestry Mining and Energy Union (CFMEU), as well as 66 workers engaged by contractor Laing O’Rourke, are being charged over the action by the Fair Work Building and Construction agency.
According to the ABC, Fair Work claims a stop-work, held on 22 October 2013, was unlawful as enterprise bargaining was still being conducted at the time of the action.
Inpex is part of the US$34 billion Ichthys project currently under construction in the Browse Basin off the coast of Western Australia. When completed, the project will see natural gas piped almost 900 km from wells in the Browse Basin to a processing facility near Darwin.
If the industrial action is found to be unlawful the union faces a maximum penalty of $51,000, while individuals involved could be fined $10,200.
Fair Work alleges that CFMEU delegate Craig Tait visited the construction site on the morning of 22 October 2013 to discuss grievances the workers had over not receiving pay for travel time to and from the site.
A meeting was held in the crib room during morning break, after which, Fair Work alleges, the workers did not return to their duties until 6.30am the next morning.
Fair Work claims that, during the morning meeting, CFMEU organiser Michael Huddy urged workers to unite on the issue.
“We can’t have half of you going back to work and half here waiting in the crib room and then everyone reaping the benefits,” Mr Huddy is alleged to have said.
“Don’t give in to these fellas. One day of protest is nothing compared to four years of 20 minutes every day.”
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