Gorgon workers seek family-friendly shifts

Workers at Chevron's massive Gorgon gas project are ready to take industrial action in a bid to secure family-friendly rosters, the Australian Manufacturing Workers Union says.

WA state secretary Steve McCartney said the Fair Work Commission had approved a protected action ballot on the project, which the union hopes will force Chevron back to the negotiating table.

While a WA parliamentary committee examining the mental health of fly in, fly out workers recently recommended "even time" rosters, the union is pushing for something in between that and the status quo of 26 days on, nine days off.