ITF congress hears Australia's Barrow Island could be declared 'port of convenience'
Speaking from the ITF congress in Bulgaria today, International Transport Workers' Federation (ITF) president Paddy Crumlin said Australia's Barrow Island could be declared a 'port of convenience' unless Chevron tempers its union-busting efforts in the offshore oil and gas sector.
Chevron's Gorgon LNG project off Australia's north-west coast has overrun from USD37 billion to USD54 billion due to the company's ongoing mismanagement.
But rather than take responsibility for its poor performance, parts of the company insist unions were to blame, said Paddy Crumlin, who is also national secretary of the Maritime Union of Australia (MUA).
"If Chevron continues to seek to exclude my union from an Australian island which will export natural gas then it will have to be declared a port of convenience," Crumlin told the 43rd ITF congress in Sofia, Bulgaria.
"They are suing the MUA for no more reason than workers on the job ensuring that occupational health and safety standards are met.
"We have made attempts to reach out to Chevron, we travelled to their shareholder meeting in Midland, Texas, earlier this year."
It was there the MUA received an assurance from Chevron chief executive John Watson that unions were not to blame for cost blowouts on the Gorgon project.
Watson said he had "no intention of blaming organised labour for cost overruns or delays at Gorgon."
"Employers need to clearly decide whether they want to work with unions – and we'll be there – or against unions – and we'll be there as well," Crumlin said.
The 43rd ITF congress in Sofia brings together almost 2,000 participants from 379 unions in 116 countries.
News about congress is available at www.itfcongress2014.org, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ITFglobal and Twitter at https://twitter.com/itfglobalunion (hashtag is #ITFcongress2014).
ENDS
Media pack
About the ITF
The International Transport Workers' Federation (ITF) is a global organisation representing over 4.5 million transport workers in some 700 trade unions in over 150 countries worldwide. For more details see www.itfglobal.org/about-us/index.cfm
About the ITF congress
Congress is the ITF's supreme decision making event, at which its affiliated trade unions are able to decide the course the organisation will take for the next four years. It elects the ITF's executive board, president, vice presidents and general secretary. To learn more visit www.itfglobal.org/about-us/congress.cfm
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Press wishing to attend are encouraged to register in advance at www.itfcongress2014.org/registration ; places are limited and it may not be possible to turn up and secure one in Sofia
Film and photos
Photos for press use can be downloaded from www.itfcongress2014.org/film-images. They are provided free of charge. A credit is not required
Press contact
The press contact during congress is Darrin Barnett. Email: darrin.barnett@mua.org.au. Tel: +614 28 119 703
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