Hundreds of offshore catering jobs at risk

Hundreds of jobs have been put at risk across six catering companies serving oil and gas platforms in the North Sea.

The Caterers Offshore Trade Association said it was consulting on 500 jobs while a pay freeze was also required.

The Unite and RMT unions are currently balloting members on industrial action in a dispute over pay and conditions.

Jake Molloy, from the RMT, said the 500 figure was far higher than expected and that he believed it had been conjured up to intimidate workers.

COTA, which includes facilities services giants Aramark, Compass and Sodexo, said a pay freeze was vital if more jobs were to be saved.

The trade association said its members were facing a much tougher climate, and that strike action would further damage investor confidence in the UK Continental Shelf.

COTA indicated earlier this year that it was retracting the second year of a two-year pay deal, worth 1.3%, in an effort to secure jobs.