More than 300 offshore workers have voted for strikes across 20 North Sea installations, Unite the Union has announced.
The union said it would cause “major problems” for oil and gas production.
A series of 48-hour stoppages are planned for companies within the UK Drilling Contractors Association (UKDCA) in a dispute over pay.
The first in a series of industrial actions over eight weeks are expected to take place on October 20 and 21.
For years drilling companies have treated our members with contempt and in the process paid them a pittance. We will no longer tolerate this from an industry overflowing with record profits.”
Vic Fraser, industrial officer, Unite the Union.
Affected installations include BP’s Clair and Clair Ridge, Repsol Sinopec’s Claymore and Piper Bravo, Apache’s Beryl, Brae and Forties assets, Shell’s Brent Alpha, Ithaca’s Alba North and Captain, Taqa’s Cormorant Alpha, EnQuest’s Magnus and Equinor’s Mariner platform.
Individual drilling rigs including the Maersk Innovator, Maersk Resolve and Paul B Lloyd Jr will also be affected.
UKDCA, which represents Transocean, Maersk Drilling, Odfjell Technology and Archer UK, has been asked for comment.
Meanwhile, affected operators and trade body Offshore Energies UK (OEUK) has been asked to clarify the likely impact on production from UK North sea platforms.
Unite returned 95% of workers in favour of strike action on a turnout of 86% after members rejected a 5% pay offer.
‘All-out strike action’ threat
Further North Sea stoppages are planned for November 3-4, November 17-18 and December 15-16, with a warning these could escalate to “all-out strike action”.
The stoppages may include an overtime ban from October 18, limiting the working day to 12 hours with no extra cover during scheduled field breaks and the “withdrawal of goodwill”, which would prevent handovers between shifts.
Unite industrial officer Vic Fraser said: “Unite has an emphatic mandate for industrial action from our members covered by the UKDCA.
“The level of participation from our drilling members is totally unprecedented, with Unite’s membership growing on a daily basis.
Growing unrest
“For years drilling companies have treated our members with contempt and in the process paid them a pittance.
“We will no longer tolerate this from an industry overflowing with record profits.
“Our members are now set to take industrial action in the coming weeks which will have a major impact on offshore platforms and drilling rigs.”
The action comes amid growing unrest from the offshore workforce, which has initiated its own wildcat strikes in the UK sector in recent months.
Pressure has been growing on contractors to increase rates after a surge in oil prices.
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