Toggle high contrast
Issue date
North Sea oil workers have voted to strike for the first time in a generation, in opposition to job and pay cuts. The first strike will take place on July 26th.

North Sea oil workers have voted to strike for the first time in a generation, in opposition to job and pay cuts. The first strike will take place on July 26th.

Over 99% of voting Unite and RMT members opted for strike action against Wood Group, a services company which provides staff to Shell oil platforms.

Commenting on the strike, TUC General Secretary Frances O’Grady said:

“The TUC fully supports the striking North Sea Unite and RMT members. 

“Many of these workers are going on strike for the first time, in order to defend their jobs and wages. The workers have already made major concessions. It is now up to Wood Group to enter meaningful negotiations with Unite and the RMT.

“Low prices present real challenges to the oil industry. Companies like Wood Group need to talk with unions to find a sustainable solution, which provides long-term security to employees.”

NOTES TO EDITORS: 
- 86.6% of eligible Unite and RMT members turned out to vote. Of them, 99.1% voted in favour of striking.
- All TUC press releases can be found at www.tuc.org.uk
- Follow the TUC on Twitter: @The_TUC and follow the TUC press team @tucnews
- Congress 2016 will be held in the Brighton Centre from Sunday 11 September to Wednesday 14 September. Free media passes can be obtained by visiting www.tuc.org.uk/MediaCredentials2016 and completing an online form. Applications must be in by noon on Tuesday 23 August. Any received later than that will be processed in Brighton and will cost £75.

Enable Two-Factor Authentication

To access the admin area, you will need to setup two-factor authentication (TFA).

Setup now