(Updates with mediator, detail in paragraphs 2-6)
OSLO, June 19 (Reuters) - Offshore oil service workers
in Norway struck a deal with employers during state-sponsored
mediation to avoid going on strike in Western Europe's largest
oil and gas producing nation, the IE&FLT and Safe labour unions
said on Wednesday.
The government-appointed mediator separately confirmed that
a deal had been reached.
The two unions initially planned to withdraw nearly 140
workers employed at SLB SLB.N , Halliburton HAL.N , Baker
Hughes BKR.O , Oceaneering OII.N and Weatherford WFRD.O .
Overall, the wages talks covered over 6,000 members of
IE&FLT and about 1,200 members of Safe.
While any strike action would not have hit production in
the initial phase, a longer-term conflict could have impacted
output.
The Norwegian oil and gas companies that operate
offshore fields, including state-controlled Equinor EQNR.OL ,
agreed
a wage deal with their workers earlier this month,
preventing strike action.
(Reporting by Nerijus Adomaitis, editing by Terje Solsvik)
((nerijus.adomaitis@thomsonreuters.com; +47 9027 6699; Reuters
Messaging: nerijus.adomaitis.thomsonreuters@reuters.net))