Workers at Chevron’s CVX.N Gorgon and Wheatstone liquefied natural gas (LNG) facilities on Thursday voted to allow unions to call for a strike if necessary, raising the possibility of production shutdowns even as both parties continue to negotiate over pay and conditions.

The Offshore Alliance, which combines the Maritime Union of Australia and Australian Workers’ Union, now has the discretion, but not the obligation, to call a variety of strike action but must give Chevron seven working days’ notice beforehand.

More than 99% of the 433 workers that voted were in favour of taking action, which could range from refusing to load tankers or vessels with LNG to complete work stoppages, according to a statement from the union on Thursday.

Results of another strike ballot for workers at a separate Wheatstone facility are due on Monday afternoon.

The escalation comes the same day as the unions reached an in-principle agreement with Woodside Energy WDS.AX in a similar workplace dispute at its Northwest Shelf LNG facility. Members will vote on whether to accept the deal, and therefore bring an end to the risk of strike action, at 7:30pm (1130 GMT).
Source: Reuters (Reporting by Lewis Jackson, Editing by Alasdair Pal and Miral Fahmy)