Workers on floating offshore vessel vote for strike action

The Foinaven FPSO is off Shetland

Workers on the Foinaven floating, production, storage and offload (FPSO) vessel off Shetland have voted for strike action.

About 60 members of the Unite union are set to down tools next week in a dispute over redundancy payments.

Foinaven is currently run by Altera under contract to BP but when that ends next month it is due to be towed to Hunterston in Ayrshire.

Altera said it was working towards a resolution.

The Foinaven is situated abut 120 miles (193km) west of Shetland.

Asking for parity

Unite said its members on the Foinaven were being offered a significantly inferior redundancy package compared to that being offered to Altera's onshore staff.

The workers were balloted for strike action, with 96% voting in favour on an 84% turnout.

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said members were aggrieved at being treated as "second class" citizens and were only asking for "parity".

Altera said in a statement: "We are currently in contact with all parties on this matter. We value the work and the wellbeing of all our employees and will continue to work towards a resolution of this issue."

The strike action is due to start on Friday 5 August.