The Australian Manufacturing Workers Union led an estimated 5000 workers on a "Make it here or disappear" march in Perth on Friday, with support from fellow unions such as the Construction Forestry Mining and Energy Union, Maritime Union of Australia and the Communications Electrical and Plumbing Union.

AMWU executive Colin Saunders said they were not going to tolerate work being shipped on from offshore countries such as the Philippines, Korea and Thailand where they can use cheap labour. "It should all be done in Australia," he said.

While acknowledging some of the marine expertise or facilities did not exist in Australia for specific work such as FPSOs, he said in many cases industry sent the work offshore when it could be done locally. One contract swinging in the breeze is the processing work for Woodside's Enfield project. Saunders said this may go offshore while a Woodside spokesman said no decision had been made yet.

This latest industrial unrest comes on the back of the second nine-day strike in four months on the Burrup Peninsula, this time blaming overly aggressive behaviour from a manager.

The strike is already in contravention of one back to work order from the Australian Industrial Relations Commission (AIRC) while employer, CBI Constructors has gone back to the AIRC seeking a further injunction.