The Australian Mines and Metals Association says the construction workers, who number about 1,500 and walked out from their posts at the Pluto project at Woodside, Western Australia, must answer responsibly for their actions.

The workers are now facing fines amounting to $28,000 for each of them for holding an illegal strike in the early parts of this year.

The workers were complaining over alterations made to their accommodation.

The management wanted them to concur to a system referred to as 'motelling', in which they would be provided various rooms for each cycle of the shifts.

The management is now settling for the Federal Court to enforce fines amounting to $28,000 for each worker plus the costs.

Steve Knott, chief executive of the mining association, says the unions are to gather community support for what is widely referred to as illegal action.

"What we're seeing now is there's a process trying to garner community support, to try and get some general pressure built up, in the public arena, in the court process, to try and get a settlement at the much lower end of the scale or try and make the matter go away," Mr. Knott said.

He adds the workers were much aware their move was illegal before they pushed through with it.

"In this case the Federal Court and Fair Work Australia directed the people to go back to work, and it took them eight days to go back to work so everyone knew there would be fines impending," he remarked.