The workers who are members of RMT and Unite the Union will take part in a series of strikes, the first scheduled for July 26th 2016.

The news comes after RMT and Unite the Union members voted overwhelmingly in favour of industrial action on Wednesday 13th July.

The action comes as a direct result of Wood Groups plans to cut worker pay by as much as 30% and concerns over recent changes to a three week working cycle.

Oil and Gas People broke the story last week that Shell was looking to recruit a ‘scab’ workforce as a contingency for the likely strikes. However shortly after Oil and Gas People broke the story, Shell halted the recruitment of ‘scabs’ to fill the positions. Without the ‘scab’ workforce, it is expected that the strike will severely disrupt upstream production in Shells Brent and Central fields.

The strikes comes after the entire industry has seen salaries slashed and benefits reduced and it is thought that Wood Group employees may serve as a trigger for other Oil and Gas workers considering strike action. It is speculated that this could be the start of sector wide strike action as workers fight to maintain salaries that reflect the level of risk involved in the dangerous work undertaken offshore.