Oil deal: jobs alert

As the announcement of a ‘mega merger’ between Royal Dutch Shell and exploration firm BG came yesterday (April 8), Unite has warned against crude cost cutting and job cuts.

 
The merger might be one of the biggest deals of the year and could potentially produce a company worth an eye-watering ÂŁ200bn.

 
But with Shell’s North Sea operations already facing a raft of job cuts and the two companies talking of the need to achieve ‘synergies’, the union has sought urgent assurances over jobs, terms and conditions.

 
“North Sea oil and gas is in the grip of a concerted attempt by the offshore industry to impose a race to the bottom on jobs, terms and conditions,” said Unite Scottish secretary Pat Rafferty.

 
“People are already paying with their livelihoods because the big oil companies failed to put aside money for a rainy day when the sun was shining and oil prices were high,” he added.

 
“This mega merger should not be built off the back of crude cost cutting and further job cuts which would only serve to be counterproductive over the long term. Both Shell and BG Group need to make commitments on retaining skills and give assurances over jobs.”