Esso Agreement Termination Rejected by FWC

A welcome decision by the Fair Work Commission yesterday for The Australian Workers’ Union and workplace lawyers Maurice Blackburn. The decision reached by the Fair Work Commission to block Esso from terminating a long-standing workplace agreement is a significant victory for hard-working oil and gas workers and their families.

Esso has been attempting to strip away the pay and conditions of off-shore Bass Strait oil and gas workers, and yesterday’s decision marks a victory for the workers and their unions, the Australian Workers’ Union, the Electrical Trades Union and the Australian Manufacturing Workers Union.

Fair Work Commission Deputy President Val Gostencnik this morning said Esso’s attempts to terminate the agreement were unfair. “The unfairness to AWU member employees resulting from the weakening of their bargaining position and the corresponding strengthening of Esso’s, that would be brought about by terminating the Agreement, weighs significantly in my conclusion,” Deputy President Gostencnik said.

AWU Victorian Secretary Ben Davis said Esso should respect the decision and get on with looking after its workers. “After five years of hard bargaining, industrial action, and court cases it is time for Esso to finally offer its employees a fair deal,” Mr Davis said.

This is big news for the industry and a positive for the AWU members and their families. Join the conversation @VICAWU. #Strongertogether