More than 300 UK offshore drilling and contract
maintenance workers employed by Archer, Maersk, Transocean and Odfjell have
backed strike action, UK trades union Unite has confirmed.
The pay dispute involves workers covered by the United
Kingdom Drilling Contractors Association (UKDCA).
Industrial action was backed by 95% of voters in a
turnout of 86%, Companies have offered what they say is the equivalent of 5%.
The strike will involve a series of 48-hour stoppages
every second week for eight weeks, with the first strike taking place over
October 20th and 21st.
A further series of stoppages have been announced for
November 3rd and 4th, November 17th and 18th,
and December 15th-16th.
Should the dispute not be resolved, it could then escalate
to all-out strike action, the union warned.
Platforms that will be impacted by the industrial action
include BP Clair and Clair Ridge, as well as Equinor’s Mariner platform.
Unite members also supported action short of a strike.
This could include an overtime ban from October 18th, limiting the working day
to 12 hours; no extra cover provided during scheduled field breaks, and the
withdrawal of goodwill pre and post-tour briefings preventing handovers between
shifts.
