North Sea Oil Strike Looms

A looming strike by North Sea oil workers could severely disrupt UK fuel supplies, according to the Unite union. The union says staff were left with no choice after a breakdown in pay talks with the Texas oil company Apache.

The union claims Apache workers backed strike action after being given an unacceptable pay offer, amounting to a real-terms pay cut for many employees. Apache said it had offered a 4% pay increase for staff, whose earnings already place them among the highest earners in the UK.

The strike could begin later this month and involve more than 160 Apache offshore workers, including electrical experts, production technicians, and radio operators. The action could affect the Forties and Beryl oilfields, potentially leading to the shutdown of the entire Forties pipeline system.

Unite blames the potential disruption on Apache's failure to reach a pay deal, saying the company's behaviour could have far-reaching consequences for workers, operators, and consumers. Consumers are already grappling with rising fuel and gas prices due to the US-Israel war on Iran.

Average UK diesel prices have topped £2 a litre for the first time, and have rocketed in recent months due to the disruption to global supplies. The UK and other leading G7 nations have agreed to release 100 million barrels of fuel and oil from emergency stocks amid surging prices.

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said the union will not tolerate unacceptable pay offers and threats to withhold back pay from Apache. Unite industrial officer Stevie Davies said the union's members are being left with no option but to take strike action.

Apache stressed that it has a contingency plan in the event of a strike and does not expect it to affect the operations of other producers using the Forties system. The company plans to retain experienced personnel at key facilities and says any possible reduction in pipeline pressure would be comparable to levels during planned maintenance shutdowns.