Unite Joins GMB in Calling for North Sea Strike Action
UK trade union Unite has joined the GMB union in a fight to defend offshore workers' terms and conditions, threatening strike action by its members. Unite announced Friday that it will issue a legal notice warning of industrial action to the Offshore Contractors’ Association, following a breakdown in negotiations to resolve a dispute over conditions for offshore workers in UK waters.
In a statement to Rigzone, a Unite representative commented:
"Talks with the OCA ended on Wednesday without a satisfactory way forward. We will now proceed to ballot for industrial action and we will provide the employer with the required legal notice in due course."
Thursday saw the GMB announce a strike ballot would go ahead, with GMB National Officer David Hulse conceding in a statement that the unions did make some progress in its negotiations with the OCA on Wednesday but that this was "sadly not enough to enable us to go back to members with proposals to resolve this dispute".
UK offshore contractors are looking to implement a change to shift rotations worked by offshore workers in order to reduce handovers and logistic costs. "Any productivity changes required will be subject to change managment and risk assessment and the unions have been offered the opportunity to participate in this," OCA Chief Executive Bill Murray said Thursday.
Trade body Oil & Gas UK has issued a statement pointing out that "the door is still open" and that it hoped both sides could still reach an agreement.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the North Sea in Norway negotiations between Norwegian offshore oil workers and employers broke down Thursday, also raising the risk of strike action. Norwegian unions Safe, Industri Energi and DSO said that rig owners had not offered their members anything substantial during the negotiations, according to a Reuters report.
WHAT DO YOU THINK?
Generated by readers, the comments included herein do not reflect the views and opinions of Rigzone. All comments are subject to editorial review. Off-topic, inappropriate or insulting comments will be removed.
- UK Diesel Prices Reach Record High
- USA Lease Sale Cancellation Leaves Industry in Limbo
- PGNiG Pens Agreement With Sempra For 3Mtpa Of LNG
- Cory, Northern Lights Create International CCS Partnership
- New Oil Traders Fill Void
- MPs Set to Vote on Windfall Tax
- Lundin Changing Name To Reflect Transition To Renewables
- Chevron Sanctions Ballymore Gulf Of Mexico Project
- Insured Marine Losses from Conflict Could Cost $6B
- Ban on Excessive Gasoline Prices Heading for Vote
- This Is Where the Oil Price Would Be Without the War
- Ukraine Disrupts Gas Deliveries to Europe for First Time
- The US Cannot Make Enough Fuel
- Biden Scraps Offshore Oil Auctions
- Sabic Sees Profit Hit by Costs
- Europe Looks To Africa For More Gas As E&P Reconsiders Projects
- Henry Hub Price Expected to Average $8.69 in 3Q
- China Is Spoilt for Choice of Oil
- UK Activists Stop Russian Tanker With $36.5M Of Diesel
- Oil Tanker With 750 Tons Of Diesel Sinks Off Tunisia
- Oil and Gas Discovery Confirmed at Hamlet
- Be Prepared to Pay More at the Pump from June
- Ban on Excessive Gasoline Prices Heading for Vote
- Top Headlines: Be Prepared to Pay More at the Pump from June
- Gas Prices Could Rocket in the Near Term
- This Is Where the Oil Price Would Be Without the War
- Exxon Does It Again - Three More Discoveries Offshore Guyana
- Top Headlines: Gas Prices Could Rocket in Near Term and More
- Europe Braces for Diesel Deluge