The Weekly paper of the New Communist Party of Britain
Week commencing 26th October 2018
The Weekly paper of the New Communist Party of Britain
Week commencing 26th October 2018
Dirty tricks on the oil rigs by New Worker correspondent AMONGST the most dangerous British workplaces are the oil rigs in the North Sea, where union health and safety reps are vital.
Union reps from Unite have raised a number of points, including claims for a bonus for workers on the Culzean platform 145 miles from Aberdeen. The day before the reps were scheduled to report for pre-mobilisation training ahead of their normal three week rotation the reps were informed that the multinational Total had requested they be ‘down-manned’ from the Culzean.
Previously a consultative ballot showed 100 per cent support for industrial action on an 81 per cent turnout in pursuit of a fair bonus scheme. Unite’s Aberdeen-based regional officer Tommy Campbell said: “We are extremely suspicious about the motives behind the decision to effectively remove our elected representatives from the Culzean project and to put them on a week’s notice. The representatives had supported Bilfinger maintenance workers to speak up about alleged threats of ‘NRB’ [not required back] and bullying. As a result of their willingness to stand up for hundreds of workers to demand fair treatment at work and to support a reasonable bonus claim, it appears that they are being singled out and removed from the project”.