More UK North Sea Oil Workers to Start Striking This Month

By Rachel Graham (Bloomberg) —

About 1,350 workers servicing North Sea oil platforms for energy majors such as BP Plc, Shell Plc and TotalEnergies SE will go on strike April 24 after failing to settle contract disputes, the Unite union said Friday.

The action will last until April 26 and involve offshore workers from five companies. The strike over jobs, pay and conditions will bring the installations to a “standstill,” the union said.

This “tsunami of industrial action” also will affect Harbour Energy Plc, CNR International Ltd., Enquest Plc and Ithaca Energy Plc, the union said. The workers involved include electrical, production and mechanical technicians, deck crew, crane operators, pipefitters, platers and riggers.

Already, 150 workers agreed to start strike action on April 5 for 48 hours. A series of nine stoppages will take place through June 9, starting with three 48-hour walkouts this month.

The strikes put the UK’s production of oil and natural gas at risk just as Europe tries to pivot away from a dependency on Russian supplies, which are being throttled by Moscow in the wake of the invasion of Ukraine.

© 2023 Bloomberg L.P.

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