Terminal owners deny strike action will affect Flotta

Repsol Sinopec has refuted suggestions by union bosses that maintenance workers at its Flotta Oil Terminal will be going on strike this winter.

Unite members working for Petrofac, a company which is contracted to carry out maintenance activities on a number of Repsol assets are set to strike on dates in November and December, it was announced this Wednesday.

While a statement issued by Unite indicated that this would include those employed by Petrofac at Flotta, this has since been refuted by the terminal’s owners.

In a statement this evening, a spokeswoman for Repsol Sinopec said: “We can confirm that some workers on a number of Repsol Sinopec-operated platforms have chosen to take industrial action.

“These assets are Arbroath, Auk, Bleo Holm ,Claymore, Clyde, Fulmar, Montrose, Piper Bravo, Saltire and Tartan.

“We continually review the remuneration of our offshore workforce and support fair compensation aligned with the market.  Our priority remains the health, safety and well-being of our people.

“The industrial action is having no impact on production and no impact on processing at Flotta Oil Terminal.

“No action is planned at the Flotta oil terminal.”

Earlier today, a regional representative for Unite claimed that the proposed strike action by Petrofac employees could have a “significant impact” on the safe running of Flotta Oil Terminal this winter.

The dispute centres on the removal of a 10 per cent Equal Time payment; an additional three per cent increase on top to cover years of below inflationary increases; payment for OEUK medicals; increase in mileage payments; and stand in duties payment.

Around 146 members are involved in the dispute across Petrofac’s workforce, which also includes North Sea oil assets.

Unite also told The Orcadian that they are hopeful that a strike will not come to pass and that a resolution to the dispute can be mutually agreed with Petrofac.