Around 100 union members working as contractors at the St Fergus gas plant near Peterhead have agreed to a new collective bargaining agreement.
Unite the Union said it negotiated a collective bargaining agreement involving around 100 contractors employed by the Wood Group and Kaefer at the Ancala Midstream Scottish Area Gas Evacuation (SAGE) pipeline and terminal.
Workers employed by the contractors on the SAGE system provide maintenance and site support at the gas plant, Unite said
The collective bargaining agreement covers scaffold inspectors and supervisors, riggers, forklift drivers, along with mechanical, production and electrical technicians.
The union said it has now secured collective bargaining rights for contractors at all three sub terminals which feed the St Fergus gas terminal, owned by Ancala, Shell and North Sea Midstream Partners.
Unite industrial officer Vic Fraser said: “The collective bargaining agreement negotiated by Unite for Wood Group and Kaefer contractors is something our members have been fighting for.
“Unite is delighted to have delivered the goods because it will significantly help our ability to protect and enhance the wages of contractors across the whole site, and ensures that no group of workers get left behind.”
Energy Voice has contacted Kaefer and Wood for comment.
North Sea union action
The agreement comes after a separate group of around 150 Kaefer contractors took industrial action at the Shell-operated St Fergus gas terminal in Aberdeenshire and the Mossmorran Natural Gas Liquids (NGL) facility in Fife.
Unite has secured a number of agreements with North Sea operators in recent weeks.
Earlier this month, Unite welcomed a new agreement with Equinor which solidified recognition for dozens of its members working at the Mariner field.
© EquinorUnite finalised several other recognition agreements during a year of industrial unrest in 2023, including deals covering workers at Repsol Resources and CNOOC. Unite also has a recognition deal with French supermajor TotalEnergies.
It comes as the union prepares for a major engagement with energy workers in 2024, aimed at charting a course for politicians and the union around the future of the sector.
Unite has sounded the alarm over the potential jobs impact in the North Sea if the Labour party follows through on its proposed changes to the windfall tax, with the union drawing comparisons to the large scale miners’ strikes seen in the 1980s.
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