Pluto contractors, unions meet

Unions are this afternoon meeting with contractors Foster Wheeler and Worley Parsons to try and resolve an industrial dispute at the $12 billion Pluto gas project where half of the 3,200 workers went on strike last week.

Industrial relations umpire Fair Work Australia today organised the meeting between the companies, which operate as the Foster Wheeler Worley joint venture, and the Communications, Electrical and Plumbing Union, Australian Manufacturing Workers Union and the Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union.

CFMEU mining secretary Kevin Reynolds said he did not know whether today's talks would produce an agreement.

On Saturday, the striking workers voted to end the strike after workers received Federal Court orders that were sought by the Chamber of Commerce and Industry WA on behalf of a number of contractors.

The strike, which was deemed unlawful by Fair Work Australia a week ago, was prompted by Pluto project owner Woodside Petroleum's plan to introduce a "motelling" plan.

The plan would force fly-in, fly-out workers to pack up all their belongings and move to a different unit, or donga, at the start of each work cycle.

Workers have claimed the new plan poses health concerns and will be disruptive.

Woodside has previously said it will not back down over the issue, and workers could apply to move to another camp, Searipple Village in Karratha, where motelling does not apply.

The meeting comes as CCIWA reiterated its concern that the federal government is pushing ahead with plans to replace the construction industry watchdog with a less powerful body.

CCIWA manager industrial relations policy Marcia Kuhne said the Pluto strike is a further example of why the Australian Building and Construction Commission should stay in its current form.

"The ABCC has played an important role in stamping out unlawful and improper behaviour in the construction industry," Ms Kuhne said.

"Its strong powers, and ability to impose significant penalties, is the main reason behind its success."

Federal parliament is due to debate the issue this week.

Meantime, a Woodside spokesperson told WA Business News the company will still seek damages from the CFMEU and its assistant Joe McDonald in relation to the illegal strike.