Ryan FowlerUnite the union has confirmed that around 60 offshore workers, including chemists and heating and ventilation engineers, will restart strike action next week. This move is part of growing disputes regarding work rotas and pay with IES Callenberg and SGS UK Limited.
The three-day strike involving IES Callenberg members will begin on Monday, 15 April, and will end on Wednesday, 17 April. Simultaneously, SGS UK Limited-employed chemists will undertake a week-long action starting the same day, concluding on Sunday, 21 April.
Workers at IES Callenberg, who service offshore platforms operated by several major energy companies, including BP and CNR, are contesting the requirement to conduct training during their field breaks, a stipulation not imposed on their onshore counterparts. The chemists employed by SGS UK Limited are involved in a separate dispute relating to BP platforms.
Despite ongoing talks, both IES Callenberg and SGS UK Limited have yet to address the demands for rota changes or provide substantial pay offers. Unite general secretary Sharon Graham reiterated the union’s support for the members: “Unite’s offshore members working for SGS and IES Callenberg remain resolute and determined to secure a better working environment.”
The strike actions align with Unite’s broader campaign to improve the work-life balance for those in the offshore oil and gas industry, amid rising concerns over worker burnout, fatigue, and stress.
Unite industrial officer Vic Fraser highlighted the members’ need to resort to strikes due to the companies’ lack of responsiveness and their refusal to allow open discussions about the strike reasons without permission. Fraser expressed disappointment in the companies’ engagement with the union and their failure to make further meaningful pay offers.
