VIC: Dirty toilet delays gas repairs

AAP General News (Australia)
04-21-1999
VIC: Dirty toilet delays gas repairs

By Alan Gale, Industrial Correspondent

MELBOURNE, April 21 AAP - A dirty toilet is threatening Victoria's winter gas supplies,
according to Esso, which is racing to finish repair work so its Longford plant can meet
winter's peak demand.

Workers including cleaners, crane drivers, riggers and scaffolders walked off the job
indefinitely this afternoon, after a toilet was cleaned by the wrong staff, Esso spokesman Ron
Webb said today.

"They objected to the toilet being cleaned by external staff, and the refilling of a fuel
tank and decided to strike.

"Meetings this afternoon at Sale decided on an indefinite strike, despite our offers to
sort out a series of issues," he said.

The strike - by members of the Australian Workers' Union - means all repair work has had to
cease, Mr Webb said.

"Without there being a clear return to work we are now very concerned about our ability to
complete the activities to meet the winter gas requirements.

"We have a contract with Gascorp - we must be able to produce and that is at a level which
is typical of a cold period in mid winter ... that is what we are trying to get our plant to
meet.

"We would have expected to have completed the last phase of repair work by the third week
of May, but this is being delayed day by day as the strike continues."

An explosion ripped through gas plant one at Longford about midday on September 25, killing
two workers, injuring eight others and cutting Victorian gas supplies for almost two weeks.

Australian Workers' Union state secretary Bill Shorten said the real issue was how workers
would be treated as repair work at the plant comes to an end.

"The gas plant construction project is on schedule, all Esso need to do is communicate with
the unions and the workforce rather than issue aggressive media attacks.

"The construction workers at Longford must be the most sinned against workers since the
galley slave workers of Ben Hur.

"All we are seeking to do is establish a protocol for redundancies and dismissals when the
repair work is finished, considering employment in Gippsland is high.

"We are close to resolving this issue, and public statements by Esso and poor management
decisions which cause demarcation disputes at a sensitive time only cause needless
aggravation.

"If one day's lost time is the difference between gas in winter or not I'll be staggered,
it is not that simple."

AAP ag/ch/de

KEYWORD: GAS UNION (CARRIED EARLIER)

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