North Sea oil workers warn of 'severe disruption' to UK fuel supplies

Workers employed by the US oil company Apache on North Sea platforms have voted to strike, a move the Unite union says could "severely disrupt" fuel supplies across the United Kingdom.

Unite said the decision to take industrial action followed the breakdown of pay negotiations with Apache, with staff left, in the union's words, with "no choice" after talks failed to produce an acceptable offer.

According to the union, Apache employees backed the strike "emphatically" in a ballot, rejecting a pay proposal that Unite characterised as amounting to a real-terms pay cut for many workers. The union pointed to what it described as substantial profits reported by the company, arguing that the proposed offer did not reflect the firm's financial performance.

Unite has not yet confirmed exact strike dates, but has signalled that disruption to Apache's North Sea operations could have knock-on effects for fuel supply chains that rely on North Sea production.

Background

The North Sea has long been a significant source of oil and gas for the UK, and industrial disputes among offshore workers have periodically raised concerns about supply reliability. Apache, a Texas-based oil and gas company, operates platforms in the region as part of its international production portfolio.

Unite has represented offshore workers in previous pay disputes with North Sea operators, and the union has said it remains open to further negotiations with Apache in an effort to avert industrial action, provided the company returns with an improved offer.

The dispute adds to a period of broader scrutiny of pay and conditions in the UK energy sector, as unions representing offshore and onshore workers have pressed employers over wages amid continued profitability in the industry.