Norway Oil Service Firms Threaten Lockout to End Strike

Offshore Norway announced on Monday that it would lock out the Safe Labour?union?oil service employees?from 27th June?in response to a strike going on over wages.

In a press release, the group representing oil service companies stated that the lockout would impact 1,272 members of Safe out of the roughly 1,770 covered under the wage agreement. However, some workers will be exempted to maintain safety critical subsea emergencies preparedness. A spokesperson for the group said that the lockout would 'further delay drilling operations, already affected by strike. At least two rigs have halted their work. Safe began the strike on 15 June after the union failed to reach an agreement with the employers. Another union, Styrke accepted the offer. The union intensified the strike on June 18 - bringing the number of striking workers up to 378. Offshore Norway reported that the'strike' has imposed high costs to suppliers and caused a "somewhat delayed production" of oil and gas. "Now, the employer feels forced to implement a locking out. It is a legal tool within the collective bargaining system that is used to bring a conflict to a close. (Reporting and editing by Anna Ringstrom, Nerijus Adomiaitis)

(source: Reuters)