Oil platform crews to strike over pay and working hours

PRODUCTION on three North Sea oil and gas platforms will grind to a halt later this month amid a series of strikes.

Workers on the Alwyn, Dunbar and Elgin platforms are taking industrial action in a dispute over pay and working hours.

Operator Total wants them to move to a three weeks on/three weeks off rota pattern.

But union bosses claim a report by Aberdeen’s Robert Gordon University found workers on such rotas were nearly twice as likely to suffer ill health as those on the traditional two weeks on/two weeks off shifts.

Unite announced the stoppages, to be held on July 23, 30, and August 6 and 20, yesterday. There will also be a continuous ban on overtime, starting at midnight on July 23.

Regional officer Wullie Wallace said: ‘The overwhelming vote in favour of strike action demonstrates the fury at Total’s proposals to impose changes to the working practices and conditions on its three platforms. There remains a closing window of opportunity for Total to behave responsibly and engage with Unite to revise its offer.

‘However, if Total does not wish to negotiate, then they will be left in no uncertain terms of the strength of feeling of Unite members.’

Last week, members at Total’s Shetland gas plant voted for industrial action over rota changes.

However, Total believes there is a strong business case for the changes and says they will ensure its operations ‘remain competitive and help attract future investment to the mature North Sea basin’.

Total said it recognises the new rota will mean more time offshore for the workers affected and has offered a ‘fair salary increase’.

Last night, the head of Total’s North Sea operations, Jean-Luc Guiziou, said: ‘I know from talking to our workforce that we can find a negotiated solution.’