The reason for the strike was that members of the leaders voted against the mediation decision in a referendum held on Thursday last week.
Union leader Autun Ingvartsen tells NRK that reaching an agreement is unlikely.
– No, unfortunately it isn’t. We need to have something more concrete than what was on the table, he says.
Audun Ingvartsen in Lederne.
Photo: Chiefs
However, the union wants a negotiated settlement.
– It should not depend on the will with us. We were in almost daily contact, and I think it’s natural that we still have a conversation today, says Ingvardsen.
More members were expelled
The increase was announced on Wednesday.
– Four more fields will then be scrapped, including the important gas field Asta Hunstein. Then 13 percent of Norwegian gas production will be affected, Kolbjorn Andreasen, communications manager at Norwegian Oil and Gas, tells NRK.
Kolbjorn Andreasen in Norwegian Oil and Gas.
Photo: Norwegian Oil and Gas
During the escalation, 117 members in the Heidrun, Asta Hunstein and Christine departments will go on strike. All of these sectors will have to shut down production, while Christine’s closure will result in the closure of Tirehans, the industry body said.
Lost revenue
A layoff results in loss of income.
– From tomorrow, when a total of seven sectors go down, daily income of 521 million kroner will be lost. More than half a billion kroner a day, Andreasen says.
In Lederne Ingvartsen notes that this cannot be seen as a loss, but rather as a deferral of income.
– It won’t run. But this is the situation we don’t agree with, he says.
From July 9, leaders have announced further intensification of the strike, and the total number of members on strike may be 382. The increase includes 68 members working at Gullfaks A, 59 members at Gullfaks C and 64 members at Sleipner.
On the first day, the strike will lead to a total reduction of 89,000 barrels of oil equivalent in oil and gas production, union leader Audun Ingvardsen confirmed to Reuters news agency. A third of this is gas.
According to NTB, the leaders include operator employees at Equinor, ConocoPhillips, Neptune Energy Norway and OKEA ASA.
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