Offshore union Unite has called on the CEO of French energy giant Total to intervene in a protracted North Sea strike dispute.
Last week workers on the Elgin, Alwyn and Dunbar platforms rejected an improved pay offer to end the disruption.
Members have been carrying out a series of 12-hour and 24-hour stoppages on the platforms over Total’s proposals to implement a three-week on, three-week off rota.
In a letter to Total CEO Patrick Pouyanne, Unite said: “Your Total E&P UK subsidiary has decided to forcefully implement an equal time three and three rota against the wishes of everyone offshore and contrary to Total’s own mission statement as a responsible employer.”
It comes after fellow energy firm Shell yesterday announced plans to end the “hated” 3/3 rotas in the central North Sea amid questions on their effect on mental health.
Regional officer with Unite Wullie Wallace said: “The Unite membership of Total on the Alwyn, Dunbar and Elgin rigs have taken the initiative to write to Mr Pouyanné to request his personal intervention. Total in its mission statement says that the company ‘strives to create the conditions’ for its workers to ‘express and develop their potential’.
“However, the Total workforce is emphatically telling management that the conditions the 3:3 rotas they are trying to impose are not what they want and it will create a poorer working environment. We encourage Mr Pouyanne to take a leaf out of Shell’s book who this week listened to its workforce and acted accordingly.”
Total is aiming to implement the rotas to make them uniform across the company, as several different rotas were in operation following its acquisition of Maersk Oil earlier this year.
Total declined to comment.
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