More Norway oil drilling workers warn of strike action

Archer

23/06/2023 15:01

OSLO, June 23 (Reuters) - More Norwegian oil and gas
drilling rig workers warned on Friday of potential strike action
next week as unions and employers prepared to negotiate over
wages, although any labour conflict was still unlikely to affect
oil and gas output.
    The Safe union said 637 of its members working on drilling
rigs and other installations will go on a strike unless a wage
deal is found by a June 29 deadline, joining 913 members of
Industri Energi who had also warned of a strike.
    In addition, 94 member of the DSO union could also go on
strike, bringing the total to 1,644 workers altogether.
    Strike action by drilling workers does not normally affect
the output of oil and gas in the short run but could have a
greater impact in the longer term as expansion projects and the
start-up of new fields could be delayed.
    Talks between the Norwegian Shipowners' Association (NSA)
and the Safe, Industri Energi and DSO labour unions involving
about 7,500 drilling workers broke down on May 24, and a
state-appointed mediator will seek to avert the outbreak of a
strike.
    Norwegian petroleum production workers, who are directly
employed by companies such as Equinor and Conoco Phillips,
reached a wage agreement last month, preventing strikes at major
oil and gas fields.

 (Reporting by Terje Solsvik; editing by Nora Buli)
 ((terje.solsvik@thomsonreuters.com; +47 918 666 70))