Why did maintenance workers strike at Woodside's North West Shelf and Pluto LNG plants?

Maintenance workers struck after failed negotiations with contractor UGL over an enterprise agreement that the Offshore Alliance—a coalition of the Australian Workers Union and the Maritime Union of Australia—deemed below industry standards; the union stated the industrial action was a direct result of 'UGL's inability to negotiate or accept industrial standards' and would continue until a finalised agreement was reached.

What are the production capacities of the North West Shelf and Pluto LNG facilities involved in the strike?

The Karratha gas plant, which is the onshore processing facility for the North West Shelf—the oldest and second-largest LNG project in Australia—produces 14.3 million metric tons of liquefied natural gas per year; the nearby Pluto LNG facility produces 4.9 million metric tons of LNG annually.

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Australian Maintenance Workers Strike at Woodside's North West Shelf LNG Plant

May 19, 2026

Maintenance workers at Woodside Energy's North West Shelf and Pluto LNG plants struck after failed negotiations with contractor UGL, potentially disrupting over 19 million metric tons of annual output amid global supply tensions.

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