News / Offshore workers back strike
OFFSHORE North Sea workers at oil and gas company Wood Group have overwhelmingly voted in favour of strike action over proposed pay cuts.
Members of the Unite and RMT unions working on Shell platforms chose to take action after ballots were held in relation to “swingeing 30 per cent pay cuts” and changes to allowances.
Wood Group denied ever proposing cuts of that amount and vowed to “continue to engage fully” in talks to avert a strike.
The Unite ballot saw 99.1 per cent of respondents vote in favour of industrial action, with 98.5 per cent of RMT voters doing likewise.
The unions will now consult with Wood Group employees working on the Shell platforms to discuss how and when the strike action will take place.
A number of the employees work on platforms in the East Shetland Basin.
Unite’s regional officer John Boland said the union remains open to talks with Wood Group about securing a resolution.
“Despite the best efforts of the full-time officials and workforce shop stewards to broker a deal with the company, talks have failed to find an acceptable deal for the workforce,” he said.
“We now find ourselves forced down the route of industrial action and in the coming days the workforce will determine the timing and nature of that action. That said, we remain available for talks should the company wish to consider an alternative offer.”
RMT regional organiser Jake Molloy added: “After two rounds of redundancy, the imposition of an additional four to five weeks of work annually, forced to work a 3:3 rota, the increase in workload, and the restrictions on leave, this battered and bruised workforce are being told they have to accept all of this with a reduction in salary of anything from 10 to 30 per cent.”
Wood Group’s eastern region business unit CEO Dave Stewart said the company was “extremely disappointed” with the vote.
“Reaching a resolution, which meets our mutual goal of safeguarding these jobs in the North Sea now and in the future remains our commitment and we will continue to engage fully in discussions with our employees and the unions,” he said.
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