Around 150 Unite union members have begun a 48-hour stoppage on Repsol-Sinopec operated assets in the North Sea, due to a dispute over pay.
Unite said Petrofac, which employs those on strike, failed to meet its promise of reviewing a 10% pay cut for staff in 2020, put in place due to falling oil and gas prices at the time, and demanded its members' former wages be reinstated with adjustments made for current inflation rates.
The union highlighted that when workers faced the cuts, the price of oil was roughly US$18 per barrel, but has now risen to US$98 following Russian aggression in Ukraine.
“Unite’s members at Petrofac’s Repsol assets have had enough,” said Sharon Graham, Unite general secretary.
“This organisation fails to realise that our members are resolute and determined to make sure the promise made back in 2020 to review the pay and benefits is fulfilled and will continue with action until it is.”
Further strikes are planned for 30 November and 1 December, with Unite highlighting that the action “will cause significant disruption to the maintenance and safe running of the platforms and terminals”.
A Petrofac spokeswomen said to the BBC: “Our latest review resulted in enhancements, including a salary increase and commitment to an additional increase in January 2023.”
Unite also announced on Wednesday that some 3,000 of its members working in offshore catering had accepted a pay offer that will see basic salaries increase by 10%.