Baker Hughes Norway Strike Called Off

by Jon Mainwaring

Rigzone Staff

Monday, June 18, 2012

The strike involving Baker Hughes staff in Norway has been called off, according to the Norwegian Oil Industry Association (OLF) and SAFE – the Norwegian union for energy sector workers.

OLF said that it and SAFE have agreed upon a new collective agreement within the oil service area, which meant that the strike at Baker Hughes was called off in the early hours of Saturday morning.

The parties have agreed to create a new collective agreement in the oil services sector, according to OLF. The agreement is along similar lines to an existing agreement that OLF has with Industri Energi – another Norwegian energy union – and which covers 4,500 oil services workers.

SAFE confirmed in its own statement that all 114 strikers involved in the industrial action have now returned to work.

The strike had threatened to shut down at least five oil and gas rigs.

Last Monday, after the strike was announced the previous weekend, SAFE vice chairman Roy Alexandersen said the union was prepared for a prolonged strike at Baker Hughes.

"We can strike for weeks, months and years if necessary," he said in a statement.

Despite the agreement between SAFE and OLF, a potential larger strike is still expected in Norway's oil sector. An attempt to resolves this currently involves the National Mediator, which has set a June 23 deadline for this year's wage settlement between unions and oil sector employers.

A former engineer, Jon is an award-winning editor who has covered the technology, engineering and energy sectors since the mid-1990s. Email Jon at jmainwaring@rigzone.com.

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