WA unions are pushing for a Parliamentary inquiry to determine whether oil and gas giant Chevron is complying with its State Agreement to use local labour wherever possible on the mammoth Gorgon project. The company yesterday said it was contributing $27 billion to Australian companies and creating more than 10,000 jobs and always gave preference to Australian labour. The State’s mining, manufacturing, and maritime unions yesterday handed a 5000-strong petition to Labor deputy leader in the Upper House Kate Doust. Maritime Union of Australia WA secretary Christy Cain claimed the company had permitted a subcontractor to hire foreign welders to work on Barrow Island when qualified locals were available. “What we don’t understand is why Chevron want to bring in skills that Australians have here,” he said. “We have seen small businesses go bankrupt, we’ve seen 27 per cent unemployment of kids on the Kwinana strip.” Ms Doust said the 2003 Barrow Island Act contained “very clear commitments that local jobs would be given to local people, the union has evidence that that has not occurred”. https://au.news.yahoo/thewest/wa/a/24955598/unions-want-gorgon-labour-probe/
Posted on: Wed, 10 Sep 2014 07:00:28 +0000