By Alasdair Pal

SYDNEY (Reuters) -Unions at Woodside (OTC:) Vitality Group’s North West Shelf offshore gasoline platforms on Sunday introduced plans to strike as early as Sept. 2, which may ultimately disrupt shipments of liquefied (LNG) from high world exporter Australia.

The strike menace escalates a long-running dispute between Woodside and employees over pay and situations on its North West Shelf gasoline platforms, which feed Australia’s largest LNG plant.

Unions in Australia are required by legislation to present corporations seven working days’ discover earlier than any industrial motion however can elect to name off any motion earlier than then.

The Offshore Alliance, which mixes the Maritime Union of Australia and Australian Staff’ Union, stated in a Fb (NASDAQ:) put up it had “unanimously endorsed” giving Woodside seven working days’ discover to strike if its bargaining claims will not be met by shut of enterprise on Wednesday. That will imply a strike may begin as quickly as Sept. 2.

“Woodside tried each tactic it may consider to keep away from bargaining with its employees as a collective, however in the long run the corporate failed to keep up the established order it appreciated – one the place what the corporate says goes,” Offshore Alliance spokesperson Brad Gandy stated in a press release.

“Offshore Alliance members don’t take industrial motion frivolously, however Woodside is basically leaving them with little alternative right here.”

A spokesperson for Woodside declined to touch upon Sunday’s replace, referring to a earlier assertion that the corporate “continues to interact actively and constructively within the bargaining course of”.

Some 99% of Woodside employees granted unions permission to name a spread of commercial motion, together with work stoppages, after Australia’s industrial umpire, the Honest Work Fee, gave permission for “protected industrial motion” to go forward.

The Offshore Alliance additionally represents employees at Chevron (NYSE:)’s Gorgon and Wheatstone LNG services. Staff there on Friday started voting on whether or not to grant unions permission to name for strike motion, with the primary outcomes due by Thursday.

Woodside’s and Chevron’s services collectively provide about 10% of the worldwide LNG market. Considerations a couple of strike have spurred volatility in European gasoline costs over fears the transfer would gas competitors between Asian and European consumers for cargoes.