Strike in the Field by Johan Sverdrup – E24

The case is being updated …

Johan Sverdrup’s camp is now being closed, according to the Lederne union, which is taking 43 members on strike.

The employers’ association Norwegian Oil and Gas, for its part, writes in a press release that the field “runs the risk of having to close” as a result of the strike.

E24 has tried to contact Equinor, which has not yet responded to our inquiries. Therefore, it has not been possible to confirm whether the platform will be closed.

– The strike occurs because we do not see the will to discuss an agreement for our members related to the new ways of operating the platforms, says the union leader of the leaders Audun Ingvartsen in a press release.

Demand higher salaries than others

A possible closure of the Johan Sverdrup field will lead to a daily production loss of around 470,000 barrels of oil, which corresponds to about 12 percent of total production on the Norwegian platform, according to Norwegian Oil and Gas.

– We are in a year in which we are hit by a global pandemic and in which both the industry and the community have an economic burden. The frontline settlement earlier this fall clearly pointed in the direction of moderation. However, leaders choose to strike because they demand higher wages than others, says chief negotiator Jan Hodneland at Norwegian Oil and Gas.

The leaders affirm that the union demanded collective agreement coverage for its members who, after adjustments and new technologies, will work in ground control rooms for part of the year.

– The employer’s party did not resolve this and said flatly no to the lawsuit without promoting any concrete alternative during the mediation. It is incomprehensible as our claim would not impose additional costs on companies, Ingvaldsen at Lederne says in the report.

Agreement with two of three unions

At the same time, it is clear that the unions Industri Energi and Safe have reached an agreement. Therefore, the strike will be much less extensive than it could have been.

If the parties had not reached an agreement, 168 Industri Energi offshore workers and 113 Safe members would have gone on strike.

– I am pleased that we have managed to reach an agreement on an agreement that is in line with the theme of the front, says Lill-Heidi Bakkerud, deputy head of Industri Energi and negotiator of platform agreements.

Industri Energi og Safe has agreed with Norwegian Oil and Gas a general supplement of NOK 4,700. In addition, employees of drilling and catering companies receive an additional NOK 8,946.

In addition to this, there is also agreement to increase a number of supplements.

– Considering the special situation in which we find ourselves, we are satisfied with the result, says Bakkerud.

Safe emphasizes in a press release that the result is “moderate” and assumes that “concrete and real local salary negotiations are carried out in the operating companies.”