An eleventh hour bid to avert huge North Sea strikes has failed after workers rejected an updated offer.
Unite has confirmed that its members have snubbed an improved deal tabled by Ponticelli and Semco Maritime.
Energy Voice revealed last week that the pair had made a new offer to union members and a consultative ballot would be held – it closed on Thursday.
Though better, Unite said the deal still did not address all of the concerns expressed by its members.
This latest rejection means hundreds of workers on TotalEnergies’ UK portfolio will now push ahead with plans to strike from the beginning of next month
An overtime ban will also be brought into effect.
Unite said industrial action could be averted if an improved offer is accepted by members, but that it is “looking unlikely”.
The strikes cover almost 300 Ponticelli and Semco Maritime workers, deployed on TotalEnergies assets.
Along with Brand Energy, Ponticelli and Semco Maritime comprise the PBS consortium – Brand is not involved in the dispute, which centres on pay, terms and conditions.
Across TotalEnergies (LON: TTE) portfolio, PBS employs in excess of 600 people.
Andreas Christophersen, PBS director commented: “While extremely disappointed we have not been able to reach an agreeable outcome for all parties with our enhanced offer, we will continue to work alongside our employee representatives and the unions, as we have done since the start of the consultation in August.”
Unite confirmed earlier this month that it was putting plans in place to hold strikes after its members voted in favour of the move.
Due to kick off in early December, the action will impact TotalEnergies’ Culzean, Dunbar, Elgin-Franklin and North Alwyn assets, as well as the Shetland Gas Plant, the Ailsa FSO vessel, and the Gryphon FPSO.
PBS bagged the contract for work on the French supermajor’s assets last year.
A rival consortium, comprised of Aker Solutions, Bilfinger, Muehlhan, Petrofac, Stork, Wood and Worley, had originally been in line to win the deal.
After it was announced PBS had snared the contract, union bosses expressed concerns that TotalEnergies had overlooked more established players to chose a group with “no track record”.