Members of one of the UK's largest offshore unions are set to vote on industrial action in the North Sea.

RMT backed the ballot for its 3000 members amid widespread job losses and cuts to pay in the oil and gas sector.

RMT general secretary Mick Cash accused companies of “exploiting” a slump in the value of oil and branded the “attack on jobs and working conditions” an “assault” on the industry’s 225,000-strong workforce.

A separate joint ballot on industrial action by the GMB and Unite unions will end on March 27.

He said: “The attack is as sharp now as it was at the bottom of the oil price slump and RMT believes that Oil and Gas UK companies are exploiting the situation to launch an unprecedented assault on the workforce.

“The preparation for sequential ballots are in hand and RMT will work with sister unions in the coming months to stave off this attempt to hammer down on the workforce across the offshore industry.”

The value of a barrel of crude oil has more than halved since June, causing widespread uncertainty in the industry. BP, Shell, Schlumberger, Talisman Sinopec, Chevron, Expro and ConocoPhillips have all announced North Sea job cuts.

RMT has also raised concerns over changes to sick pay, pensions, travel allowances, and a controversial shift towards a three-on-three-off shift pattern.

The union will hold a series of ballots in the coming weeks.

Source - news.stv.tv

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