Voting on the new Enterprise Bargaining Agreement has now closed for the workers on Curtis Island, who will now be waiting with bated breath for the result, to be announced at midday.
Workers have complained of being docked pay after last week’s three-hour delays due to the start of picketing at both ferry terminals to Curtis Island, however Bechtel have said they will deal with complaints individually and assess them on the circumstances.
The familiar ‘shoot-first, listen later’ tactic echoes complaints of workers who were docked pay last year for attending an on-site union meeting in December.
The five minute meeting was called by union delegates who informed workers to go back to work, after a dispute and stop-work involving complaints about unsanitary conditions in the mess hall at the Brumby’s Run camp on Curtis Island.
Workers were docked four hours pay for attending the meeting, regardless of whether they had attended the meeting or not.
This is the third vote to decide on an EBA proposed by Bechtel for the LNG projects on Curtis Island.
The first EBA in May 2013 was defeated by 64 per cent against, and the second EBA was defeated by 54 per cent against.
Bechtel are offering increased benefits for local and FIFO workers, but are unwilling to concede on an immediate change to the 4/1 roster.