North Sea Strikes Come to an End
Over 300 Norwegian oil services workers on Tuesday ended the strike that started almost three weeks ago as the Norwegian Oil and Gas Association and the Industri Energi union have reached an oil service agreement.
The service workers in Norway went on strike in September after mediation over the collective oil service agreement between the Norwegian Oil and Gas Association, the employers’ organization, and the Norwegian union of Industri Energi failed.
The strike affected Schlumberger Norge, Baker Hughes Norge, Halliburton Norge, Oceaneering, and Oceaneering Asset Integrity. As a direct and indirect result, just under 600 people have been laid off in the Norwegian Oil and Gas Association’s member companies. In addition, according to the Norwegian Shipowners’ Association, the rig companies laid off around 1,700 employees during the strike.
On Tuesday, the employers’ organization and the union reached an agreement and the union got the approval of the requirement to equalize wage differences between oil workers.
Industri Energi chief negotiator, Ommund Stokka, said: “We get a permanent change in the salary matrix that will benefit our members.” He also said that the agreement represents a formidable increase for the skilled workers in the oil service sector.
According to the union, the settlement means that oil service employees receive a general increase of 3100 Norwegian kroner.
Jan Hodneland, chief negotiator at the Norwegian Oil and Gas Association said the organization is happy the strike has ended and that the solution has been found through reallocation of payroll funds.
Source: Offshore Energy Today
