Workers at the Japanese-owned Inpex gas operation have walked off the job after weeks of negotiations on pay and conditions stalled.Industrial action took place this morning at the Ichthys site, with a further two-hour work stoppage planned for this evening.The Offshore Alliance, a combination of the Australian Workers' Union and the Maritime Union of Australia, has been pushing for better conditions and annual pay rises of 3 per cent.Industry lobby group Australian Resources and Energy Employer Association (AREEA) have said this would increase labour costs by 50–60 per cent and push the average Inpex salary to more than $500,000 a year.The Ichthys operation takes gas from offshore fields in West Australian waters, before it is sent to Darwin for processing via an 890-kilometre-long underwater pipeline.Workers at onshore and offshore facilities are taking part in the strike action.In a social media post, the Offshore Alliance said significant progress had been made in negotiations last week, but Inpex had "fallen short on a number of fundamental claims"."A long way short, and our Inpex members have had enough," the post said."Protected Industrial Action ramps up today on all 3 Inpex facilities with stoppages of work and work bans."Inpex are making billions off the blood, sweat and tears of their Australian operations workforce, and we will keep escalating PIA [protected industrial action] until Inpex agree to fair industrial outcomes."If you don't fight, you lose."Production started at the Ichthys site in 2019, with up to 9.3 million tonnes of liquid natural gas processed at the site every year.In 2025 the Australian Workers' Union alleged staff complaints about health and safety were being brushed aside by Inpex.Union representatives and Inpex have been contacted for comment.