One of the largest offshore trade unions has announced it is to ballot members on possible strike action amid an ongoing dispute over terms and conditions in the North Sea.
The Rail Maritime and Transport (RMT) union, which represents about 5,000 workers, said it is planning a “rolling programme” of action designed to have the “maximum effect” on operations.
The RMT, along with Unite and the GMB, has railed against what it is describes as an “unprecedented assault” on the workforce during a downturn in the industry.
The GMB and Unite are carrying out a consultative ballot of their members – to ask if they want to proceed to a ballot on strike action.
One of the core elements of the current dispute is a move from the more traditional two weeks on and two or three weeks off shift pattern to a three on, three off model.
The RMT has also claimed there has been an “attack” from some firms on sick pay, pensions, travel allowances, stand-by payments and the level of pay.
Mick Cash, the RMT’s general secretary said: “The attack on jobs and working conditions in Britain’s offshore industry is as sharp now as it was at the bottom of the oil price slump and RMT believes that Oil and Gas UK companies are exploiting the situation to launch an unprecedented assault on the workforce.
“The preparations for sequential ballots are in hand and RMT will work with sister unions in the coming months to stave off this attempt to hammer down on the workforce across the offshore industry.”
Oil and gas giants including Schlumberger, BP, Shell and Chevron are among a host of companies who have announced plans to axe jobs and reducing salaries this year.
The drive to cut costs is partly as a result of the collapse of the global price of Brent Crude.
The change in the shift pattern is being looked at by several firms as another way of saving money.
Industry sources have claimed that extending shift patterns could shave 15% off costs for some companies – by cutting spending on helicopter flights to take workers offshore.
