More than 160 Apache offshore workers could begin strike action later this month after pay talks broke down, Unite said. The workers include electrical experts, production technicians and radio operators.
The dispute covers staff at the Forties and Beryl oilfields. Unite said industrial action could bring the Charlie platform to a standstill and directly hit the Forties pipeline, potentially disrupting UK fuel supplies.
Unite said Apache’s offer would amount to a real-terms pay cut for many employees and warned that deadlines over back pay could leave workers thousands of pounds out of pocket. General secretary Sharon Graham said the union would not accept the offer.
Apache said it had offered a 4% pay increase and described its final proposal as fair. The company said offshore staff were already among the UK’s highest earners, worked an average of 153 days a year and had received an offer matching that made to non-unionised employees.
APA Corporation, Apache’s parent company, reported $1. 4bn in after-tax profits and $9. 2bn in revenue last year. Apache said it had contingency plans, including keeping experienced personnel at key sites, and did not expect action to affect other producers using the Forties pipeline system. It said any pressure reduction would resemble that seen during routine maintenance outages and that safe operations would be maintained.