A UK trade union has raised concerns over potential industrial strike action at two offshore gas platforms in the North Sea following the rejection of pay offers by workers employed by French energy giant TotalEnergies.
On Friday, UK trade union Unite announced that around 50 workers at the Elgin-Franklin and North Alwyn platforms, operated by TotalEnergies, are now being balloted for strike action after rejecting two separate pay offers from the company. Unite described the offers as “unacceptable,” and said they would lead to major disruption if workers proceed with a strike.
The central issue in the dispute is the pay claim for 2025, which would take effect from January 1. According to Unite, TotalEnergies initially proposed a 1.5% increase in basic salary. However, after the workers overwhelmingly rejected this offer, the company made a second offer, increasing the proposed raise to 1.75%. Unite has condemned this second offer, stating that it amounts to a real-terms pay cut rather than an increase.
John Boland, an industrial officer with Unite, emphasized the seriousness of the situation. “Unite’s members employed by TotalEnergies across the Elgin-Franklin and North Alwyn platforms are being forced to ballot on strike action to get a fair pay award from a multi-billion company,” Boland said. He further criticized the company for “treating its highly skilled workforce with contempt” and warned that any strike action would lead to significant disruption on both platforms.
TotalEnergies, a major player in the global energy market, has yet to respond to the union’s latest claims. However, with workers’ discontent escalating, the prospect of industrial action could impact operations in the North Sea, a crucial region for UK energy production. The outcome of the strike ballot is awaited, with the union stressing that they will take decisive steps to ensure workers receive fair treatment.