Sparrows crane staff back North Sea strike action

March 3, 2023

Nearly 50 Sparrows Offshore Services crane operatives, maintainers, lifting personnel and deck crew working on bp’s UK offshore production installations have voted to take strike action.

Clair Ridge started up in November 2018, targeting 640 MMbbl of recoverable resource and peak production of 120,000 bbl/d of oil. bp said the multibillion-pound investment is designed to continue producing until 2050.

Offshore staff

ABERDEEN, UK — Unite the Union says nearly 50 Sparrows Offshore Services crane operatives, crane maintainers, lifting personnel and deck crew working on bp’s UK offshore production installations have voted to take strike action.

The affected facilities are at Andrew, Clair, Clair Ridge, ETAP, Glen Lyon and Mungo.

Demands include an 18% pay increase for 2022 or an enhanced payment that provides for a longer period of field break, with no reduction in earnings, and all overtime to be paid “at time and a half."

Action will initially involve a series of 24 and 48-ht stoppages, but it could escalate to all-out strike action and a full overtime ban.

Unite said its members’ mandate followed refusal by Sparrows and bp “to provide an acceptable offer to resolve the matter."

03.03.2023