Petrofac workers are being balloted for industrial action in a dispute over pay, Unite Scotland has confirmed.
Around 140 members will vote on industrial action with the ballot opening today and closing on 27 October.
The industrial action ballot follows Unite members rejecting a 3 per cent pay offer with the broader measure of inflation (RPI) standing at 12.3 per cent.
Petrofac is a signatory to the Energy Services Agreement which is a collective bargaining agreement covering around 5,000 workers in the UK Continental Shelf.
Deck crew, platers, pipe fitters, electricians and riggers will all take part in the pay dispute ballot.
If successful the ballot will impact the maintenance and running of Repsol Sinopec’s North Sea platforms and the Flotta Oil Terminal.
The company’s North Sea assets that will be impacted include Arbroath, Auk, Bleo Holm, Claymore, Clyde, Fulmar, Montrose, Piper, Saltire and Tartan.
Repsol Sinopec Resources UK is a joint venture between Spain’s Repsol and China’s Sinopec.
Unite general secretary, Sharon Graham, said: “Unite’s highly skilled members working for Petrofac deserve a fair pay rise and the reinstatement of cuts made to their salary in 2020.
“Our members are helping to generate the eye-watering profits being made by the operator Repsol which are then being siphoned off to pay directors and shareholders across the globe but not the workforce itself.
“We will support our members all the way in their fight for better jobs, pay and conditions.”
Unite industrial officer, John Boland, added: “The workforce have been left with no option but to vote in a ballot over strike action.
“The main issue our members are furious about is the 10% salary reduction in 2020 which has not been addressed.
“Operators are drowning in the profits they are making yet our members are seeing next to nothing. In fact, they are being offered a real terms pay cut.
“Any industrial action due to the greed of Petrofac and the operator will have a major impact on the maintenance and running of the platforms.”
A Repsol Sinopec Resources UK spokesperson said: “We can confirm workers on some Repsol Sinopec-operated assets have been balloted for industrial action.
“We continually review the remuneration of our offshore workforce and support fair compensation aligned with the market.
“Our priority remains the health, safety and well-being of our people.”
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