Oilc

Chopper close shave shows why offshore workers' fight for safety is needed
Letters

Chopper close shave shows why offshore workers’ fight for safety is needed

A helicopter shuttling workers between the Elgin and West Franklin platforms ran into difficulties resulting in the chopper coming inches away from falling into the sea, an offshore worker writes
10 January 2017
Ballot on rigs as oil barons on attack again
News

Ballot on rigs as oil barons on attack again

Oil and gas industry workers covered by the Offshore Contractors Association (OCA) agreement are holding a consultative ballot on the latest insulting deal from employers.
25 October 2016
Wood Group oil workers escalate action over pay on Shell North Sea platforms
News

Wood Group oil workers escalate action over pay on Shell North Sea platforms

An oil workers’ strike in the North Sea shows how to beat the energy bosses, reports?Raymie Kiernan
09 August 2016
Surface tension—the battle against the North Sea oil bosses
Features

Surface tension—the battle against the North Sea oil bosses

Offshore oil workers have a tough life—and to keep up profits bosses are out to make it even tougher. But a new wave of strikes could put a stop to that. Raymie Kiernan spoke to trade unionists organising on the North Sea rigs
29 July 2016
Oil rig action can beat bosses
News

Oil rig action can beat bosses

Hundreds of North Sea oil rig workers are set to strike on 26 July over pay cuts.
19 July 2016
Workers on Shell North Sea rigs are 'sick fed up'—now they want to strike
News

Workers on Shell North Sea rigs are ‘sick fed up’—now they want to strike

North Sea oil workers on Shell platforms are balloting for strikes. They are employed by oil services giant Wood Group, which is slashing jobs and conditions.
14 June 2016
Wave of fury offshore as work stops on rigs
News

Wave of fury offshore as work stops on rigs

Anger has spread among workers employed by Wood Group which is contracted to provide workers for energy giant Shell in the North Sea.
26 April 2016
Masked workers protest in oil city Aberdeen for safety offshore
News

Masked workers protest in oil city Aberdeen for safety offshore

Rank and file offshore workers staged a day of protest in Aberdeen today, Tuesday, over job losses and bosses’ attacks on workers’ terms and conditions
09 February 2016
Coordinated action can beat oil bosses’ attacks
News

Coordinated action can beat oil bosses’ attacks

Industrial action on oil rigs came a step closer last week after Caterers Offshore Trade Association (Cota) bosses reneged on a pay deal.
03 November 2015
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News

Anger could explode on North Sea oil rigs after workers vote for strikes

The North Sea oil offshore industry could soon be hit by its first strike since the 1990s. 
27 October 2015
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News

New shift patterns force rig workers offshore for 26 days

Claims by bosses that no offshore oil worker would spend longer than 21 days on a rig as a result of new shift patterns were exposed as a lie last week. 
20 October 2015
In the danger zone - the oil rig workers fighting to defend safety at sea
Features

In the danger zone – the oil rig workers fighting to defend safety at sea

North Sea oil bosses are driving through cuts that will put the lives of those on oil rigs at risk. Workers preparing to resist spoke to Raymie Kiernan about what is at stake
06 October 2015
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Strike threat for North Sea oil bosses

Thousands of offshore workers in the North Sea oil and gas industry could soon be drilling into the bosses’ profits. 
24 March 2015
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News

Offshore oil bosses’ cuts put workers at risk

Politicians and offshore bosses met in Aberdeen for a “crisis summit” on Monday of this week to discuss more tax breaks to “save” the industry following a slump in oil prices.
03 February 2015
Workers killed in Super Puma helicopter crash paid a deadly price for big oil's profits
News

Workers killed in Super Puma helicopter crash paid a deadly price for big oil’s profits

Oil bosses ground Super Puma helicopters after latest crash kills four workers, reports Sarah Ensor
27 August 2013
Workers' grief turned to anger in struggle for offshore safety
Background Check

Workers’ grief turned to anger in struggle for offshore safety

Workers formed the Oilc union in 1988 in the aftermath of Piper Alpha. The battle to build effective offshore union organisation can be a matter of life and death. 
02 July 2013
Piper Alpha 25 years on: fire killed 167 workers because bosses cut corners
Background Check

Piper Alpha 25 years on: fire killed 167 workers because bosses cut corners

On the anniversary of the Piper Alpha oil platform disaster, Socialist Worker looks at the union-busting and callous lack of safety that condemned oil workers to death
02 July 2013
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News

Offshore workers need a union to get bosses over a barrel

With safety of paramount importance, the battle to build effective union organisation in the offshore industry can be a matter of life and death. Jake Molloy, Neil Rothnie and Mike McCaig of OILC, the energy branch of the RMT union, spoke to Socialist Worker about the challenge.
31 March 2009
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Is there a blacklist on the oil rigs?

The OILC and RMT unions are fighting against oil workers being "NRBd" (not required back) on platforms in the North Sea.
05 February 2008