NORTH SEA workers employed by Petrofac could to down tools later this month as part of a dispute over jobs, pay and conditions.
Trade union Unite confirmed on Monday that it had received an “emphatic” mandate from around 80 contractors on Ithaca Energy assets.
hould the industrial action go ahead, operations on FPF-1, Captain, Alba and Alba North could all be impacted.
The workers readying to walk out include electrical, production and mechanical technicians, as well as deck crew, scaffolders and crane operators.
On the FPF-1 floating facility specifically, three 24-hour strikes involving 50 Unite members will take place on August 21, 23 and 28.
A continuous overtime ban will also come into effect on August 21 as workers try to secure an improved pay offer.
Unite says it will announce walk out dates involving the 30 or so members on the Captain and Alba installations later this week.
That dispute centres on Ithaca’s “fourteen days ‘clawback’ policy”, which the union has branded “draconian”.
According to Unite, the policy is significantly above the industry norm of seven days, and it is the financial equivalent to £6,000 lost income per person.
Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “Unite’s Petrofac membership remain strong and resolute in their determination to secure a better deal from the company. Our members working on Ithaca Energy installations are involved in a long-running dispute with the contractor over fair pay and also the fourteen days clawback policy in operation which is draconian. We will continue to fully support our members in the fight to secure better jobs, pay and conditions in the offshore sector.”
