North Sea workers at Wood Group set to begin strike action over pay and conditions

Offshore workers in the North Sea are set to begin industrial action amid a dispute over pay and conditions.

Staff at the Aberdeen-based Wood Group will strike for 48 hours from 12.01am on Tuesday until midnight on Wednesday, with the action expected to impact platforms operated by Harbour Energy.

Further strikes are planned for the same hours on October 20 and 21, as well as November 3 and 4.

Unite said the action follows Wood Group’s decision to cut the pay and conditions of some workers, including through the threat of issuing fire and rehire notices.

General secretary Sharon Graham said: “Unite will not allow the Wood Group to slash and burn our members’ pay and conditions.

“This is a profitable company and it is despicable that it is threatening to fire and rehire its workers. This is corporate greed in its worst form.”

Electrical, production, instrument and mechanical technicians are set to take part in the industrial action, which will affect Harbour Energy’s Britannia, Jasmine, Judy, Lomond and North Everest platforms.

A Wood Group spokesperson said: “Wood confirms that eight employees on a single asset have participated in industrial action.

“There has been no disruption to operations.

“All of our employees have accepted the revised terms and conditions, which exceed the minimum terms of the Energy Services Agreement (ESA). We remain focused on supporting our client safely and responsibly.”

A spokesperson for Harbour Energy added: “We are aware of discussions between Wood and its employees and we hope a constructive resolution can be reached.

“Our priority remains the safety of our people and assets.

“We continue to work closely with all our contractors and expect to maintain safe and reliable operations and production across our business.”

The action comes as Unite warned UK fuel supplies could be “severely disrupted” after Apache staff backed industrial action.

More than 160 workers are set to take part, with the union warning that the strikes could see the Forties Pipeline System go down.

Apache said it did not expect disruption to other producers’ ability to operate through the pipeline if the action goes ahead.