669 offshore workers on strike

Hilde-Marit RysstOslo.Leader of SAFE Hilde-Marit Rysst.Photo : Audun Braastad / NTB scanpix

The Federation of Safe and Shipowners’ Unions (Safe og Rederiforbundet) did not agree on the wage settlements for the year. Thus, 669 offshore workers were taken out on strike at nine installations on the Norwegian continental shelf.

 

The parties had a deadline for midnight on Monday to arrive at a solution,but did not agree, Sysla reported.

“We are now in the process of securing operations and closing down work,” said Safe Director, Hilde-Marit Rysst on the website.

Probably more installations will be more or less closed as a result of the strike.

Initially, 669 workers were taken out at nine installations on strike.At the same time, Safe, according to Sysla, announced that another 901 members could be removed at midnight on Sunday if there is no agreement by then.

The battle’s core is that Safe believes the Shipowners’ Association will weaken a gift pension scheme the workers have today.

“We could not accommodate Safes’ requirements for the mediation.

The requirements, when comparing them with regulations for other occupational groups in industry and society as a whole, are completely unfair.The Safe managements’ handling of the negotiation is directly responsible,” said Jakob Korsgaard, Managing Director of Maersk Drilling Norway.

He emphasised that the consequence of the mediation failing led to the fact of the industry undergoing a devastating conflict and huge damage to its reputation, finances, and jobs.

 

© NTB scanpix / #Norway Today