Strike action on Wood Group

Following a failure by the Wood Group to come up with any solutions in talks over pay reductions, proposed cuts and changes to working conditions on Shell’s North Sea oil and gas platforms action scheduled to start in the morning goes head. A ban on overtime working started this morning and will run continuously.

The company are proposing cuts to members’ pay which could amount to up to 22%, however once reductions to allowances are factored in, the cut could be as much as 30%. RMT, along with our colleagues in our sister trade unions, have objected to these proposals in the strongest possible terms but the company have failed to move.

RMT maintains that the situation is totally unnecessary as the Wood Group have just been awarded a new five year contract for North Sea operations, which is valued at $150 million. The unions in the joint offshore committee therefore requested further talks to try and resolve this very important matter. However, the company have indicated that they wish to bulldoze through the implementation of  these cuts. This left RMT with little option but to ballot our members for strike action and industrial action short of strike.

Our affected members have voted overwhelmingly for both strike action and action short of a strike in the ballot and noting the mandate from the grass roots the National Executive Committee has taken the decision to call industrial action. The full schedule of action is outlined below.

RMT General Secretary Mick Cash said;
“After savage redundancies and attacks on workload and working conditions this group of offshore workers are now told that they are going to be railroaded into accepting pay cuts of up to 30%. They have voted overwhelmingly to reject this assault on their livelihoods and from 6.30 tomorrow morning the strike action begins.
“We are well aware that the company Chief Executive has had a pay increase of 28% to bring him up to £600,000. It is obscene that while the top bosses are lining their own pockets they are kicking the workforce from pillar to post.
“This brave group of workers are taking a stand against the greed and savagery that is a mark of corporate Britain in 2016. They deserve the full support of the entire trade union movement.
“The unions remain available for serious and meaningful talks.”
Ends



NOTE :
FULL SCHEDULE OF ACTION
All RMT Members working on the Brent Alpha, Bravo and Charlie Platforms are instructed to CEASE work during the following hours:-
 
•    06:30 hours on Tuesday 26th July 2016 and 06:30 hours on Wednesday 27th July 2016.

•    06:30 hours and 09:30 hours on Thursday 28th July 2016
•    18:30 hours and 21:30 hours on Thursday 28th July 2016

•    06:30 hours and 09:30 hours on Saturday 30th July 2016
•    18:30 hours and 21:30 hours on Saturday 30th July 2016

•    06:30 hours and 09:30 hours on Tuesday 2nd August 2016
•    18:30 hours and 21:30 hours on Tuesday 2nd August 2016

•    06:30 hours and 09:30 hours on Thursday 4th August 2016
•    18:30 hours and 21:30 hours on Thursday 4th August 2016

•    06:30 hours and 09:30 hours on Saturday 6th August 2016
•    18:30 hours and 21:30 hours on Saturday 6th August 2016

•    06:30 hours and 09:30 hours on Tuesday 9th August 2016
•    18:30 hours and 21:30 hours on Tuesday 9th August 2016

•    06:30 hours and 09:30 hours on Thursday 11th August 2016
•    18:30 hours and 21:30 hours on Thursday 11th August 2016

•    06:30 hours and 09:30 hours on Saturday 13th August 2016
•    18:30 hours and 21:30 hours on Saturday 13th August 2016

All RMT Members working on the Gannet, Nelson and Shearwater Platforms are instructed to CEASE work during the following hours:-

•    06:30 hours on Tuesday 26th July 2016 and 06:30 hours on Wednesday 27th July 2016.

•    06:30 hours and 09:30 hours on Friday 29th July 2016
•    18:30 hours and 21:30 hours on Friday 29th July 2016

•    06:30 hours and 09:30 hours on Sunday 31st July 2016
•    18:30 hours and 21:30 hours on Sunday 31st July 2016

•    06:30 hours and 09:30 hours on Tuesday 2nd August 2016
•    18:30 hours and 21:30 hours on Tuesday 2nd August 2016

•    06:30 hours and 09:30 hours on Friday 5th August 2016
•    18:30 hours and 21:30 hours on Friday 5th August 2016

•    06:30 hours and 09:30 hours on Sunday 7th August 2016
•    18:30 hours and 21:30 hours on Sunday 7th August 2016

•    06:30 hours and 09:30 hours on Tuesday 9th August 2016
•    18:30 hours and 21:30 hours on Tuesday 9th August 2016

•    06:30 hours and 09:30 hours on Friday 12th August 2016
•    18:30 hours and 21:30 hours on Friday 12th August 2016

•    06:30 hours and 09:30 hours on Sunday 14th August 2016
•    18:30 hours and 21:30 hours on Sunday 14th August 2016

All RMT Members working on the Curlew Platform are instructed to CEASE work during the following hours:-

•    07:00 hours on Tuesday 26th July 2016 and 07:00 hours on Wednesday 27th July 2016.
•    07:00 hours and 10:00 hours on Friday 29th July 2016
•    19:00 hours and 22:00 hours on Friday 29th July 2016

•    07:00 hours and 10:00 hours on Sunday 31st July 2016
•    19:00 hours and 22:00 hours on Sunday 31st July 2016

•    07:00 hours and 10:00 hours on Tuesday 2nd August 2016
•    19:00 hours and 22:00 hours on Tuesday 2nd August 2016

•    07:00 hours and 10:00 hours on Friday 5th August 2016
•    19:00 hours and 22:00 hours on Friday 5th August 2016

•    07:00 hours and 10:00 hours on Sunday 7th August 2016
•    19:00 hours and 22:00 hours on Sunday 7th August 2016

•    07:00 hours and 10:00 hours on Tuesday 9th August 2016
•    19:00 hours and 22:00 hours on Tuesday 9th August 2016

•    07:00 hours and 10:00 hours on Friday 12th August 2016
•    19:00 hours and 22:00 hours on Friday 12th August 2016

•    07:00 hours and 10:00 hours on Sunday 14th August 2016
•    19:00 hours and 22:00 hours on Sunday 14th August 2016

Affected members have been given a clear instruction to stop work and “down tools” during the above hours and times and then return to work when the strike ends.

Additionally, all members are instructed to take continuous industrial action by not working any overtime between the dates and times as outlined below:-

•    00:01 hours on Monday 25th July until further notice.