Hundreds of offshore workers employed by Bilfinger UK have rejected new pay offers and will join new strikes as a bitter dispute over wages and working conditions rumbles on.
It paves the way for a fresh round of industrial action in the North Sea next month.
About 600 offshore members employed by Bilfinger and stationed on assets operated by Ithaca Energy, CNR International and Taqa will join hundreds of others across the industry in downing tools from 6.30am on June 1 to 6.29am on June 3, and again from 6.30am on June 8 to 6.29am on June 10.
According to Unite, the offers all featured a basic pay increase of 6%. The union described this as a “significant real terms pay cut”, given inflation stands at 13.5%.
The Bilfinger workers embroiled in this latest dispute are separate from those who took part in a previous round of 48-hour strikes involving 1,200 union members on May 10.
Around 200 staff employed by the contracting giant on BP and Repsol Sinopec UK assets took part then.
‘Unacceptable’ profits
A major point of contention for all the workers and unions are the enormous profits posted by North Sea oil majors including BP and Shell in recent months.
Unite general-secretary Sharon Graham said: “Unite’s offshore members working for Bilfinger have given a loud and clear answer to the company and oil operators.
“Simply put; below inflation pay offers from a sector awash with billions in record profits is unacceptable.
“Our members remain resolute in their fight to secure good jobs, pay and conditions across the offshore sector, and they will have Unite’s full support.”
Unite has previously described the strikes as a “tsunami of unrest“.
It claims the industrial action is impacting on production and planned work, though operators have downplayed this.
Unite industrial officer Shauna Wright said: “Bilfinger and operators have attempted to play divide and conquer tactics but this has spectacularly backfired on them. Unite’s members remain united and solid.
“Our Bilfinger members are determined to secure pay increases which at the very least match inflation. The company and the operators have one last chance to resolve this before a new wave of industrial action hits dozens of offshore assets.”
Bilfinger has ‘procedures in place to minimise any potential disruption’
A spokesman for Bilfinger UK said: “As an Energy Services Agreement (ESA) signatory, we align with the industry base rates of pay that are agreed annually with the unions.
“This most recent offer follows a 4% increase that was awarded in January.
“We respect the right for peaceful and planned strike action and will continue to engage with the unions, our clients and colleagues to come to a positive resolution. Operational safety remains our top priority and we have procedures in place to minimise any potential disruption.”
The ESA sets base terms and conditions for thousands of employees working offshore in the UK
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