Rates of Pay and Conditions of Service 2024 – Offshore Diving Industry Agreement

Our Ref: SH/0001/ODIA 

23^rd April 2024

 

Dear Colleagues 

 

Rates of Pay and Conditions of Service 2024 – Offshore Diving Industry Agreement 

 

After your rejection of the company’s previous offer via a referendum, fresh talks have taken place with the signatories. At these talks, your negotiating team pressed hard for an improved offer and the following proposals have been tabled for you and your colleagues: 

 

• Year 1: An increase to the basic rates of pay and saturation pay by 9% from 1^st May 2024 (due to no back dating of pay while negotiations are ongoing)
• Year 2: An increase to the basic rates of pay and saturation pay by 4.5% from 1^stJanuary 2025
• Year 3: An increase to the basic rates of pay and saturation pay by 4.5% from 1^stJanuary 2026

 

In addition to the rate increase, the offer includes the following from the 1^st May 2024:

 

• Bend watch rate: from 1^st May 2024 will increase from 12 hours to 24 hours
• Daily allowance for travel: from 1^st May 2024, the travel allowance will increase by 36% to £30.00 per day. As per the existing travel allowance clause 6.1 a)
• Allowances: in addition, from 1^st May 2024 allowances in 6b), c) and d) will be uplifted by the November 2023 RPI figure (as per the existing agreement). And again, at the November 2024 RPI in year 2 and November 2025 RPI in year 3.

 

Having carefully considered the offer, your National Executive Committee has instructed me to hold an e-referendum of you and your colleagues so that you can have your say on the revised offer.

 

Additionally, the National Executive Committee is strongly recommending that you vote ‘YES’ to accept these proposals. Having spoken at length to the union’s negotiating team, it is the belief of your National Executive Committee these proposals represent the best achievable through negotiation. The union’s negotiating team believe that this is a good offer and that the RMT is unlikely to get any improvement on these proposals.  

 

Overall, these proposals give you and your colleagues an 18% uplift in pay over the three-year length of the deal, with a 9% increase front loaded into year one of the offer. 
These proposals far exceed anything other pay award that has been achieved in the offshore energy sector in 2023/24. For example, the Energy Services Agreement (ESA) has agreed to pay a 4% uplift for this year and the Caterers Offshore Trade Association (COTA) agreed to an uplift of 6% from September 2023 to September 2024. 

 

The on-line referendum will close at midday on Thursday 2^nd May 2024.

 

You must have an email address to take part

 

Members will shortly receive an email from 'RMT Referenda' which will allow you to register your vote. Please follow the instructions and make sure you complete this by no later than 12:00 hours (BST) on Thursday 2^nd May 2024.

 

If you know of any member who has not received this email or if you are having any difficulties voting, please contact referenda@rmt.org.uk or the RMT Helpline on 0800 376 3706. If you do not receive your vote immediately, please check your junk/spam folders before contacting us for a replacement. 

 

VOTE ‘YES’ TO ACCEPT THE PROPOSALS

 

Yours sincerely

 

Michael Lynch

General Secretary