Oil strike suspended

The following announcement was issued last night (August 12) jointly by Wood Group and the Unite and RMT Trade Unions in relation to the current dispute involving workers on the Shell facilities in the North Sea.

“Wood Group and the Unite and RMT unions can confirm we have agreed to restart the process for resolution of the current dispute. We will hold a number of full-day meetings over the next few weeks, starting early next week, to take a fresh look at the issues.

“All parties recognise that the challenges we are facing in the North Sea are both real and serious and there is acceptance that change is required and will happen.”

“These fresh talks will allow all parties to bring ideas to the table and provide opportunities for employees in particular, along with unions and management, to contribute to a mutually successful outcome and demonstrate leadership in shaping the future of the North Sea.

“We believe that this collaborative approach to addressing the challenging and well-publicised situation in the oil & gas sector is the best way for us to resolve this current dispute and contribute to creating a sustainable model for the North Sea.

“For these talks to be successful, it is essential to create a constructive environment in which they can take place.  Wood Group has therefore agreed to stop the implementation of the current proposal for the duration of this fresh engagement and talks, and in response to this RMT and Unite have agreed to suspend any further strike action for the duration of this fresh engagement and talks.

The unions and Wood Group have also agreed that during this period, in order “to facilitate open and honest discussions”, neither the company nor the unions will make any public statements in relation to the talks or the dispute.

Stay tuned on UniteLive for the latest on this dispute after talks have concluded.