The EBA proposed by Bechtel has passed by a majority of voters among employees on Curtis Island LNG projects, shattering hopes of a change to a 3/1 roster.
The voters on the island swung by around eight per cent to 54.3 per cent in favour of accepting the new EBA, which will increase several financial benefits, including a $10 per day progress incentive payment, which will increase to $30 per day in November this year.
Voter turnout was 84 per cent, with 6821 workers voting out of 8130 eligible to vote.
Benefits and pay increases described in the EBA are scheduled for back pay to May 2014.
Bechtel has also pledged to remove of all warnings for those who have previously taken unlawful industrial action against the company, which has taken the form of strike action by CFMEU members at the ferry terminals to Curtis Island.
72 employees who were involved in the strike were named in a federal court order to cease industrial action, which was found to be unprotected by the Fair Work Commission last weekend.
Another EBA benefit pledged in advance of the vote was “improved return home travel arrangements for non-local FIFO employees”.
Australian Mining has asked Bechtel to clarify this promise and how change will be effected for FIFO workers, but has not yet received a response.
At present workers are flown to their home city by Qantas charter flights, and are not entitled to frequent flyer points, despite the fact that Bechtel lists the cost of flights as a fringe benefit on workers’ tax returns.