The Guardian 9 April, 2008
Offside Woodside abandons onshore jobs
The Australian Manufacturing Workers’ Union (AMWU) has attacked Woodside Petroleum in West Australia over a decision to send the bulk of their manufacturing offshore.
WA AMWU President, Steve McCartney, said sending work for Woodside’s new $5 billion gas platform overseas would undermine the local manufacturing industry.
"We have the skills and the workforce here that is capable of fabricating the entire North Rankin 2 project," he said. "The decision to do it offshore will cost the state hundreds of millions of dollars."
Woodside is prepared to get no more than 40 percent of the work done in Australia and has signed contracts to get work done in Indonesia and South Korea.
Mr McCartney said there was no doubt that labour in Indonesia and South Korea was cheaper, but there were issues with labour standards and environmental practices.
"We need to ask what kind of carbon footprint it will leave," he said.
Mr McCartney said the decision also affects local industry’s ability to train more young people.
"How many apprenticeships have we lost from this decision? It is very difficult to expand on Australia’s skills base if we keep exporting work offshore."
Mr McCartney said it was hard to believe that the company made its decision, taking into consideration working conditions and health and safety.
"Woodside claim that they take these issues on board when making their decision, but it’s well known that there are dubious conditions in these countries with regards to health and safety.
"That’s why they’re cheaper. They cut corners and it costs them less."