Pay and working rotas at core of latest dispute

Unite the union confirmed today (7 August) that offshore workers employed by Petrofac Facilities Management Limited have voted for strike action in disputes over jobs, pay and conditions.

Around 80 Unite members contracted to work on Ithaca Energy’s FPF1 platform, Captain WPP, Captain floating production, storage and offloading (FPSO) facility, Alba FSU and Alba North installations emphatically backed strike action (see notes to editor).

Unite can confirm that 24-hour strike action by around 50 Unite members fighting to secure a higher pay offer from Petrofac will take place on 21, 23 and 28 August on the Ithaca FPF1 installation. A continuous overtime ban will also come into effect on 21 August. 

The trade union will announce days of industrial action involving around 30 members on the Ithaca Captain and Alba installations later this week. This dispute centres on Ithaca Energy’s fourteen days ‘clawback’ policy. This 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.” 

The workers set to be involved in industrial action include electrical, production and mechanical technicians in addition to deck crew, scaffolders and crane operators. 

 John Boland, Unite industrial officer, added: “Unite received an emphatic mandate in support of industrial action from our Petrofac membership. Our members are prepared to fight on for a fair pay offer and better work-life balance because Petrofac and Ithaca Energy refuse to do the right thing. The company and the operator have another opportunity to get round the table with Unite to resolve these disputes before any industrial action starts. We would encourage them to do so but the ball is in their court.”

ENDS

Notes to Editors:

On the Petrofac (Ithaca) – FPF1 installation, Unite members voted by 94.4 per cent and on the Captain Alba installations by 100 per cent in support of taking strike action.