Unite the Union has announced that its members working on offshore catering have rejected a pay offer and now could be balloted for strike action.
The union said 88% covered under Catering Offshore Trade Association (COTA) rejected a 4 per cent increase on basic pay from September 2023.
Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “The 4 per cent pay offer on the table from COTA is totally unpalatable to our members with inflation remaining in double digits.
“The offshore caterers ensure that the wider workforce is fed, cleaned and watered. Unite will fully support our COTA members in their fight for better jobs, pay and conditions.”
Only 10% of the union members said they were reluctant to take strike action with the remaining members indicating they are ready to take industrial action.
This was revealed in the result of a ballot in order to fight for a higher pay offer with the broader inflation measure (RPI) currently standing at 10.7 per cent.
Strikes have potential to become ‘unpleasant very quickly’
The union claims that COTA has over 3,000 workers in offshore catering companies including Aramark, Conntrak, Entier, ESS, FOSS & ESG, and Sodexo.
Shauna Wright, Unite industrial officer, added: “Companies in the offshore sector are awash with profits.
“Over 900 Unite members provide essential services on offshore installations helping to ensure that operations run smoothly.
“Without them, life would become pretty unpleasant very quickly. We remain open to further negotiations with COTA but the reality is that unless there is some significant movement we will have no option but to ballot our members on strike action.”
The Catering Offshore Trade Association has been asked for comment on the situation.
Wood workers win pay rise
Unite the Union has been organising industrial action with its members in the North Sea as several waves of striking have hit the UK oil and gas sector.
Most recently it was announced that offshore workers had voted to end their industrial action after reaching a deal with Wood which reinstates a 10% cut made to their salaries in 2015.
Unite the union said that a new offer had been accepted by 86% of its balloted members which would see workers receive a 10% boost to their salary – reversing cuts made in 2015 – alongside new retention bonuses worth 15%.
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