Chevron Gorgon, Wheatstone Downstream employees to vote on company proposal next week as strike threats loom

Chevron Gorgon and Wheatstone Downstream employees are set to cast key votes next week on the company's proposed enterprise agreements setting out employment terms and conditions, with the result set to determine the next steps for both the parties amid threats of strikes at the Australian facilities.

The vote comes as Chevron continues its efforts to avert a protected industrial action after union members voted in favor of going ahead with a PIA at the facilities in ballots that closed Aug. 24.

Voting on the proposed enterprise agreements for Chevron Gorgon and Wheatstone Downstream employees will open on Aug. 30 and close Aug. 31, a Chevron Australia spokesperson told S&P Global Commodity Insights Aug. 25.

"With a view to understanding the views of our employees, we're providing a proposed Enterprise Agreement for relevant employees at each of our Gorgon and Wheatstone onshore gas facilities to consider and vote on," the spokesperson said, noting that this was the same opportunity provided to Wheatstone Platform employees last month.

Wheatstone Platform employees voted overwhelmingly not to accept the EA and have moved on to a PIA ballot, which opened this week and closes Aug. 28.

"The proposed agreements deliver significant value for our employees and would take effect as soon as operational if supported," the Chevron spokesperson added.

Meanwhile, a member from the union that forms part of the Offshore Alliance noted that the voting duration provided by Chevron was unreasonably short because usually an employer provides 3-4 days for such voting. Several employees were also rostered off on Aug. 30 and Aug. 31, making full attendance challenging, the union member, who requested anonymity, said.

However, he noted that efforts would be made to contact these employees for voting participation and said that he remained confident about the EAs getting voted down, after which the union members would likely push forward with a PIA.

The Chevron-operated Wheatstone Project is among Australia's largest resource developments and the nation's first LNG hub. The Wheatstone Project has a nameplate capacity of 8.9 million mt/year of LNG and a domestic gas plant while the Gorgon Project comprises a three-train, 15.6 million mt/year LNG facility and a domestic gas plant.