North Sea drilling rig workers in wildcat strikes over pay

Adam Nowell said they wanted to bring wages back up to what they were before the pandemic

North Sea offshore gas workers are taking part in wildcat strikes to demand a wage rise.

Staff say they are requesting a salary rise that "ties in with inflation", with one saying working in the oil and gas industry has become "a struggle".

The strike by Bilfinger workers, which started on Tuesday at Elgin platform, 150 miles off Aberdeen, is thought to involve staff at other drilling rigs.

Bilfinger said it was working with staff and unions to resolve the issue.

Strike leader Adam Nowell, from Morpeth, Northumberland, said the action - which "needed to happen for a very long time" - now involved "thousands" of workers, who wanted £7 to be added to their base rate an hour to bring wages back up to what they were before the pandemic.

"Our goals are to bring the wage back up to where it would have been if we didn't have all of these dark times," he said.

The workers are carrying out the action without the support of unions because they said they could make more progress as individuals.

He said: "This is our stand as, if you like, a private union, a union of men, a union of workers."

The action started on the Elgin platform, which is 150 miles off the coast of Aberdeen

Mr Nowell, a fabric maintenance, rope access safety supervisor, said Bilfinger stopped their pay on Tuesday, something which the company has confirmed.

He said the atmosphere on Total's Elgin platform was one of "anger, disappointment, and frustration".

"It's been exhausting," he said.

"Over the last three days I've had about three hours' sleep, but I must carry on".

On Thursday Bilfinger announced its decision to join the Energy Services Agreement (ESA) following the wildcat strikes.

The ESA says it "sets out the minimum terms and conditions for the off-shore workforce across the employing companies" and Bilfinger urged staff to "return to work".

However, Mr Nowell said he believed this was a move to ensure Bilfinger did not have the power to alter the pay rates.

Various meetings between staff and industry representatives have taken place, but an agreement is yet to be reached.

'Mutual agreement'

A spokesperson for Bilfinger said: "We understand that Bilfinger UK is one of a group of contractors with employees downing tools on assets in the North Sea...

"It is now in the best interest of our people, customers, our business and the wider sector for Bilfinger UK to join the ESA and we will be working with unions and our established employee representative committee to make these changes as we move forward."

A spokesperson for Unite said the union and Bilfinger had reached a "mutual agreement and understanding" on the current dispute.

They added: "Unite is pleased to confirm Bilfinger UK has now become a co-signatory of the ESA which both parties acknowledge has been a source of the frustration for the workforce on the various offshore platforms.

"As such, Bilfinger UK and Unite are now requesting all workers return to normal working practices on the basis both parties will enter into talks through the ESA framework to discuss issues of mutual concern which has led to the current industrial unrest of the workforce."

Bilfinger said they asked workers for a "verbal commitment" to return to work by 14:00 on 20 May.

"Should this offer not be taken up, individuals still not returned to work shall remain off pay and the demobilisation process will commence," it said.

"In addition to this the company will consider commencing dismissal proceedings."