9 British oil workers went on strike for almost a year. Now they get a collective agreement and pay rises. The LO union IE&FLT has now won a long-term strike on the Norwegian continental shelf. This happens on the evening IE&FLT was supposed to step up with sympathy strikes in several oil companies. This is not only an important victory for the nine, but for everyone who works on the Norwegian continental shelf! This was about something as fundamental as collective agreements and the right to organize.
Nine members, employed by a foreign company, demanded Norwegian wages and working conditions on the Norwegian continental shelf. After almost a year on strike, they have now won. The nine workers usually work with well stimulation on the Ekofisk field, from the vessel "Island Captain". It is this work that Industri Energi has demanded to be covered by Norwegian wage and working conditions. During the strike, three of the members were dismissed, and six ordered to work around the world.
The background for the strike was that Industri Energi believes SLB UK is engaging in social dumping on board the vessel "Island Captain", which is under contract for ConocoPhillips on the Ekofisk field. The workers here carry out work according to the oil service agreement, but both wages and working conditions are far from the level in the industry. Therefore IE&FLT demanded a collective agreement for its members, which the company refused to comply with.
While the workers have been on strike, the company has used strike breakers as replacements for the striking workforce.