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On Thursday night the Australian Industrial Relations Commission (AIRC) ordered Esso workers to cross the picketline and return to work by 10am (AEST) Friday, an order that was rejected by the workers. So far, further negotiations have had little success.
The company has since launched legal action in the Federal Court seeking damages from the three unions and 70 workers involved in the stand-off.
The workers have been stranded since last Wednesday on the offshore platforms after a picket line was formed by construction workers, working for Esso subcontractors, protesting a proposed change to their rosters from seven-day rotations to 14-days-on-14-days-off.
However, a handful of workers have been allowed to return home after a picket line at the East Gippsland helipad was dismantled to allow a relief crew to fly to the platforms.
