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Unofficial wildcat strikes ‘in no-one’s interest’ at ‘critical time’, trade body says

BP's Etap installation with the Safe Caledonia flotel alongside has been affected by unofficial industrial action.
BP's Etap installation with the Safe Caledonia flotel alongside has been affected by unofficial industrial action.

Wildcat strike action is in “no-one’s interest” the offshore trade body has claimed after workers downed tools across a range of North Sea installations yesterday.

Offshore Energies UK (OEUK) hit back at a series of unofficial strikes taking place as workers for Bilfinger UK and Wood stopped their work.

The employees are seeking a £7 per hour increase in pay, citing recent profits of oil and gas giants and the cost of inflation.


READ: Cost of living crisis cited as North Sea workers down tools in wildcat strike

North-east Scotland MSPs including the Greens’ Maggie Chapman and Labour’s Mercedes Villalba backed the action, while the Unite union also voiced support.

Bilfinger and Wood both said they were seeking to resolve the grievances through proper channels.

Meanwhile TotalEnergies said it was working with its fabric maintenance contractor and is prioritising the safety of workers across all its sites.

BP installations including Etap and Clair, TotalEnergies’ Elgin, and Harbour Energy’s Judy were among several installations affected, along with some operated by Taqa and Repsol Sinopec.

TotalEnergies’ Elgin platform. Photo: Total E&P UK Ltd/PA Wire

Trade body OEUK  highlighted the risks associated for the wider sector when wildcat strikes take place.

Not an offical trade dispute

Irene Bruce, OEUK’s energy services agreement (ESA) manager, said: “We are aware of the unofficial action taking place and would encourage those involved to follow the dispute procedures in place with their employers, even though this doesn’t appear to be an official trade dispute.

“Wildcat action such as this is of no-one’s interest at a critical time in the industry, which is looking to attract investment, safeguard our security of supply and protect local jobs, as we make collective efforts to reach net zero.”

BP did provide a comment to say it is monitoring the situation and that it is “confident there’s no increased risk” as a result of the wildcat strikes.

Last night the Unite union said it had only recently been made aware of the grievances but gave support to the action given the scale of recent inflation levels, coupled with oil and gas firms’ windfall profits on higher commodity prices.

The union also noted Bilfinger’s decision not to be part of the aforementioned energy services agreement, a collective bargaining deal for contractors.

A spokesperson said the circumstances “can only stoke resentment amongst workers” and said Bilfinger’s absence from the ESA “must change”.