Offshore workers employed by TotalEnergies are being balloted on strike action, according to an April 14 Unite the Union report.

About 70 Unite members based on the Elgin Franklin and North Alwyn platforms along with the Shetland Gas Plant are being balloted on strike action as part of much industrial unrest in the offshore sector.

The latest dispute centers on the pay claim for 2023 and a reduction in the days worked offshore. Unite is spearheading the campaign to secure a better work and life balance for offshore members.

The ballot covering Elgin Franklin and North Alwyn is open while the ballot covering the Shetland Gas Plant opens on April 19. Both ballots close on May 5.

In 2022, the French corporation posted a record net full year profit of $20.5 billion (£16.4 billion). The company recorded an adjusted net income of $36.2 billion (£28.9 billion) but paid about $15 billion (£12 billion) in charges linked to leaving the Russian market.

TotalEnergies workers are on different shift rotations either three weeks on, and three weeks or four weeks off. Despite meetings with TotalEnergies management, the company has refused to discuss with Unite a reduction in days worked or a change of rotation.

Unite members being balloted include control room operators, mechanical, operations and production technicians along with skilled engineers. The trade union predicts that if its members vote to take strike action then it will have a significant impact on oil and gas production.

Last week it was announced that 1,350 offshore workers across five companies will take strike action April 24-26.

Unite predicts the coordinated strike action will bring platforms and the offshore installations of major oil and gas operators to a standstill. The corporations to be hit by the action include bp, CNRI, EnQuest, Harbour Energy, Ithaca, Shell and Total.

Source: Offshore Mag

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	Issue 84 of Robban Assafina (March/ April 2023)