North Sea divers set to commence two months of strike action
RMT Union's members working under the Offshore Diving Industry Agreement (ODIA) have voted in favour of strike action which is set to span two months.
RMT Union
Next government urged to fund ‘just transition’ for oil and gas workers
The next government must provide a “clear and funded” transition plan for workers in the offshore oil and gas industry, including the North Sea, green groups and unions have urged.
Study finds offshore wind injury rate four times higher than oil and gas
Union officials liken offshore wind to "the Wild West" and call for industry specific safety reforms.
Super Puma return would ‘poison industrial relations’ in North Sea
RMT vows to work with other offshore trade unions to fight "dangerous proposals" to bring back Super Puma
Strict Scottish quarantine rules slammed by union chief
A trade union boss says making Scots go into quarantine hotels when they return from overseas oil jobs is “utter madness”.
Safety inspectors find ‘cracks’ in hull of Foinaven FPSO west of Shetland
“Serious concerns” have been raised after inspectors found multiple “cracks” in the hull of the Foinaven FPSO west of Shetland, amid a catalogue of other safety issues.
Vattenfall refutes claims it has threatened to ‘fire and re-hire’ workers
The RMT has accused Vattenfall of threatening to “fire and re-hire” its members of staff in an alleged dispute over changes to contracts.
Union condemns plans for detained Aberdeen Harbour ship to set sail while owing crew wages
A UK seafarers union has condemned plans by the owner of vessel currently detained in Aberdeen Harbour to set sail while owing £150,000 to workers.
‘Hour by hour, day by day’: copter firms take fast-track on Covid-19
When Covid-19 gripped the UK North Sea oil industry, there was only one way for helicopter operators to manage the crisis – take it hour by hour, day by day.
New Job Retention Bonus scheme does ‘little to nothing’ to affect North Sea job losses
Politians and union bosses have hit out at Chancellor Rishi Sunak’s Job Retention Bonus scheme, with some claiming it does “little to nothing” to affect growing North Sea job losses.
‘Marked increase’ in number of North Sea workers going offshore
A “marked increase” has been noted in the number of workers going out to North Sea platforms, according to industry chiefs.
‘Heartbreak’ as new figures suggest North Sea job cuts rising faster than expected
More than 4,500 “heartbreaking” North Sea job losses have already taken place in the wake of the Covid-19 outbreak and oil price rout, it is understood.
North Sea workforce to make up majority of furlough figure as redundancies loom
North Sea oil industry workers are anticipated to make up the lion’s share of those using the furlough scheme within the UK energy sector.
‘Desperate situation’ for North Sea oilfield service firms as furlough costing six figure sums
Many North Sea oilfield service firms are being left in a “desperate situation” over whether to axe staff or pay mounting maintenance costs to keep them on furlough.
Furlough scheme rollback would be ‘absolutely disastrous’ for North Sea workforce, union boss warns
Any moves to scale back the UK Government furlough scheme would be “absolutely disastrous” for the North Sea oil and gas sector, an Aberdeen union boss has warned.
Up to 30k oil jobs could be lost as Covid-19 energy sector impact deepens, OGUK report warns
Up to 30,000 oil jobs are predicted to go, along with billions of pounds in investment, due to Covid-19 and a 20-year low in oil prices.
Many firms ‘torn’ between protecting business and supporting staff with furlough scheme, OGUK boss says
Many North Sea oil and gas firms are currently “torn” between protecting the long-term sustainability of their business and supporting those staff whose jobs were connected to now delayed or cancelled projects, according to an Oil and Gas UK (OGUK) boss.
Ad hoc oil workers ‘months away from losing everything’ after missing out on furlough scheme
A trio of offshore unions are in disagreement with Petrofac after workers were left without answers on being granted the government’s coronavirus furlough scheme.
BP under fire for sending coronavirus-tested workers offshore without results
Oil giant BP has come under fire for flying workers offshore while the results of their coronavirus tests were still outstanding.
‘Lack of guidance’ blamed for safety fears over Covid-19 spread at safe haven hotels
Safety fears have been raised about the potential spread of Covid-19 due to a lack of guidance given to oil and gas workers using Aberdeen’s new safe haven hotels.
Coronavirus testing kits for North Sea workers ‘at long last becoming available’, union boss says
Tests to help safeguard North Sea oil and gas workers against the outbreak of Covid-19 are “at long last becoming available”, according to a trade union boss.
‘Sleepless nights’ as new Covid-19 self-employment support leaves many North Sea workers in limbo
New UK Government measures to support the self-employed will cause “sleepless nights” for those North Sea workers who have been left in limbo, according to industry experts.
Stork sacks North Sea workers due to Covid-19 operational drop-off
An Aberdeen oil and gas contractor has sacked a number of North Sea workers due to a drop-off in demand related to the coronavirus outbreak.
Offshore unions call for OGUK to use hotel rooms to isolate suspected Covid-19 cases
Hotel rooms should be used to isolate suspected coronavirus infected workers returning from offshore platforms, according to Scottish trade unions.
Apache ‘reducing activities’ on North Sea assets to prevent coronavirus spread
Apache is the latest in a growing list operators to confirm it is taking measures to prevent the spread of the coronavirus in the North Sea.