Inpex seeks redeployment for Laing's workers

The developer of the Ichthys LNG project has moved to assure the 800 workers affected by Laing O’Rourke’s ejection from site that it would redeploy as many as it could to keep construction going.

Inpex’s Ichthys project managing director, Louis Bon, said in a statement today that the company was working with the project’s stakeholders to ensure as many affected workers as possible were rapidly redeployed.

“These are individuals with important trade skills such as riggers, mechanics and scaffolders,” he said.

“We will do all we can to get these men and women working again. We want to make sure affected workers are looked after as a top priority.”

Laing took the 800 workers off the $US37 billion project in Darwin on Wednesday, after a pay dispute with Japanese supplier Kawasaki Heavy Industries that spanned several months failed to reach a resolution.

Laing was contracted alongside KHI in 2012 to deliver four cryogenic tanks on behalf of Ichthys’s head contractor, JKC Australia.

Mr Bon said Inpex had found jobs for 173 out of the 300 UGL workers that were made redundant elsewhere at Ichthys earlier this year.

“There are significant job opportunities still to come on this major infrastructure project and we remain committed to supporting local jobs and businesses,” he said.