Pushed to the limit

North Sea oil and gas workers are to strike for the first time in a generation.

 

Almost 400 members of Unite and RMT unions who work for multinational oil and gas services company, Wood Group across eight Shell oil and gas platforms in the North Sea will take industrial action in a dispute over 30 per cent pay cuts and changes to allowances.

 

“Strike action by our members is not a decision they take lightly, but they have been pushed to the limit by an employer unwilling to rethink proposals to slash their pay and allowances,” said John Boland, Unite regional officer.

 

The first 24-hour stoppage will take place on Tuesday July 26 and will be followed by a series of other stoppages over the following weeks.

 

John explained; “This is the third series of redundancies and cuts to our member’s wages and terms and conditions in the last in the last two years.”

 

Recent changes have also seen workers move from a two-week working cycle to a three-week working cycle, which means working extra weeks offshore for the same salary.

 

“Our members have already made sacrifices and are experiencing the effects of the imposition of a three-week working cycle, which means more time offshore and less time with their families, for the same salary,” said John.

 

The strike follows a massive 99.1 per cent vote in favour of strike action by Unite members and 98.5 per cent by RMT members.

 

“These members work in some of the most hazardous conditions in one of the toughest jobs in the world and deserve better than Wood Group’s bogus claims that their proposed pay cuts won’t amount to much,” said John.

 

“Wood Group needs to wake up to the determination of our members by negotiating seriously with Unite and the other offshore union to reach a deal which is fair for their highly skilled and hardworking work force,” added John.