Inpex workers approve new enterprise agreement

• Employees at the Darwin-based Ichthys liquefied natural gas plant voted overwhelmingly to approve a new employment deal.
• The months of tense negotiations and subsequent industrial action led to missed cargo loadings, costing the company an estimated US$200 million in lost earnings.
• The union stated that the newly endorsed agreement delivers crucial improvements to pay, conditions, and job security.

Workers at the Ichthys liquefied natural gas plant in Darwin have voted overwhelmingly to endorse a new enterprise agreement with Japanese energy firm Inpex.

The ballot follows months of intense negotiations and a recent strike that halted production at the facility.

"Members have won an agreement that delivers significant gains in job security, pay, career progression, workplace rights and working arrangements," said the Offshore Alliance in a statement.

The industrial dispute disrupted local operations and forced the company to skip several scheduled shipments, which unions estimate cost the business US$200 million in lost earnings at the 9.3 million metric tonne per year facility.

The successful vote resolves the dispute at the Darwin plant, allowing the focus to shift to upcoming enterprise agreement negotiations at other major Australian gas projects.

The Ichthys project is one of the largest natural gas developments in northern Australia, supplying approximately 10% of the nation's total liquefied natural gas export capacity.

A similar labour dispute is expected next for workers on Shell's Prelude floating liquefied natural gas vessel.