Unions claim disgruntled workers at the $13 billion Pluto project are voting with their feet with contractors reporting a higher than normal turnover rate since the motelling issue prompted half of the project's workforce to strike.
Unions claim disgruntled workers at the $13 billion Pluto project are voting with their feet with contractors reporting a higher than normal turnover rate since the motelling issue prompted half of the project's workforce to strike.
Communication, Electrical and Plumbing Union state secretary Les McLaughlan, who is also spokesperson for a number of unions representing the Pluto workers, told WA Business News that a number of contractors had reported unhappy workers that were at the Woodside Petroleum project.
He said that normally, the turnover rate for construction jobs at large resource projects was about 20 per cent.
"We're hearing now that it's accelerated quite fast in the last week or so and if it goes that way then we're looking at a 30 per cent turnover rate for the project," Mr McLaughlan said.
"We're hearing from a number of the contractors that the turnover is much higher there because people are unhappy on the job and since this issue's [motelling] been raised, one company's said that they lost 100 people."
About half of the 3,200 workforce at Pluto went on a week-long strike that ended on Saturday over a plan by Woodside and project manager Foster Wheeler Worker to introduce motelling.
Motelling is the term used to describe the allocation of a new unit, or donga, to a worker at the start of each work cycle.
Workers are upset over the issue because the motelling arrangement was not included in their workplace agreements, and have said it will create for an unhygienic and uncomfortable work/rest environment.
Mr McLaughlan said workers were also unhappy with the forced non-union agreements they had signed under the Howard government's WorkChoices regime and felt they were isolated with unions not allowed on site.
Mr McLaughlan added the WorkChoices workplace agreements that workers had signed did not cover the motelling issue at all.
Woodside and FWW have previously said they would not back down on the motelling issue, which would allow a further 25 per cent of people to work on the project.
The higher turnover rate comes as Fair Work Australia deputy president Brendan McCarthy met with delegates of the Pluto workforce and representatives of some unions today in Karratha.
Mr McCarthy will meet with Woodside and FWW tomorrow before making any recommendations that could be delivered either this week or next week.
Mr McLaughlan said Woodside and FWW were under no obligation to accept the recommendations as Mr McCarthy did not have the authority to arbitrate on any issues.
"There's no compulsory arbitration on this, the way the laws are set up is that unless everybody says we want you to arbitrate and we'll agree to the outcome then they have no power to arbitrate," he said.
Mr McLaughlan said that although Mr McCarthy did not have any power, he could propose a common ground that could form the foundation for any talks going forward.
