UK Offshore Strike Talks Resume Behind Closed Doors

The offshore contractor Wood Group has agreed to suspend its new terms and conditions, and the Unite and RMT unions have agreed to return to work offshore, while the three sides renew their efforts to find a solution.

Meetings are planned for the course of the next few weeks, starting early next week, they said in a joint statement late August 11. "All parties recognise that the challenges we are facing in the North Sea are both real and serious and there is acceptance that change is required and will happen," they said.

Wood Group has agreed to stop the implementation of the current proposal for the duration of this fresh engagement and talks, and in response to this RMT and Unite have agreed to suspend any further strike action for the duration of this fresh engagement and talks, they said.

Further, these talks "will allow all parties to bring ideas to the table and provide opportunities for employees in particular, along with unions and management, to contribute to a mutually successful outcome and demonstrate leadership in shaping the future of the North Sea. We believe that this collaborative approach to addressing the challenging and well-publicised situation in the oil and gas sector is the best way for us to resolve this current dispute and contribute to creating a sustainable model for the North Sea."

During this period, and to facilitate open and honest discussions, neither Wood Group nor the unions will make any public statements in relation to this matter.

Several days of strikes have stopped maintenance work at seven of the Anglo-Dutch major Shell's offshore platforms; output has not been affected. Summer is the maintenance season, when heating demand falls to zero.

William Powell