Inpex seeks Fair Work Commission intervention to halt Darwin LNG strike action
Oil and gas giant Inpex has filed urgent proceedings with Australia's Fair Work Commission to stop escalating strike action at its Ichthys LNG facility in Darwin, where the Offshore Alliance union is pushing for 3% annual pay rises and improved conditions. The union has endorsed escalating protected industrial action from four-hour to eight-hour work stoppages starting Thursday, citing failed enterprise bargaining negotiations. The timing is sensitive given global LNG supply constraints from Middle East conflict and the facility's 2% share of world LNG production.
Inpex, a major oil and gas operator, has launched legal proceedings seeking urgent orders from the Fair Work Commission to prevent strike action at its Ichthys LNG facility in Darwin. The Offshore Alliance union—comprising the Australian Workers' Union and Maritime Union of Australia—has endorsed escalating protected industrial action from four-hour to eight-hour work stoppages beginning Thursday, affecting over 400 workers at onshore and offshore facilities. The union is demanding 3% annual pay rises and improved working conditions, claiming Inpex has failed to agree to any bargaining claims in seven months of negotiations. Inpex argues the disruption would significantly impact LNG buyers and domestic gas supply to the Northern Territory, particularly given current global fuel supply constraints caused by Middle East conflict. The company states it has offered multiple agreement options with substantial pay increases and improvements to terms and conditions, though key items including pay rates, allowances, and career progression remain unresolved. A Fair Work Commission hearing is scheduled for Friday before Deputy President Michael Easton.
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- ABC AustraliaCenter
Inpex seeks urgent orders to stop strike action in Darwin
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