Potential Offshore Strike In Norway Could Add Fresh Uncertainty To Global Energy Markets As Wage Talks Collapse
By Michael Kern of OilPrice.com A potential strike over wages could threaten smooth operations offshore Norway, Western Europe’s top oil and gas producer, at a time when the world is scrambling for oil and gas supply amid the Middle East crisis. Almost 8% of oil and gas workers offshore Norway could go on a strike from June 5 if trade union negotiations with industry fail to reach an agreement in a government-brokered mediation process, according to data from the labor unions on Monday. More than 600 workers out of about 8,100 in total offshore Norway could begin a strike later this week, Reuters reported on Monday, citing the office of the government-appointed mediator. Negotiations between the offshore industry and the workers organized in the Styrke, Lederne, and Safe trade unions continue. At the end of last week, talks between Offshore Norway, which represents the oil industry in the wage talks, and the unions broke down. Offshore Norway and the trade union Styrke held negotiations on May 27 on the onshore base agreements, which cover approximately …






