Offshore staff ballot on walkout

OFFSHORE workers could be the next group of employees to take industrial action following failure to agree a pay deal.

Union members have rejected an offer from the Offshore Contractors’ Association (OCA), which represents offshore firms.

Dave Hulse, national officer of the GMB union, said: “After long drawnout negotiations and a consultative ballot of GMB members that resulted in them rejecting the OCA proposals, GMB and Unite have now formally registered a failure to agree over our pay claim for 2016/17.

“Our members believe that over recent times they have been treated with contempt and enough is enough.

“We now intend to start preparing for a possible ballot for industrial action.”

Unite said last week the offer would have seen no increase in pay and no change to the conditions of members