Oil and gas workers set to strike over 'safety' at Scottish plant

Workers at the St Fergus plant in Aberdeenshire are set to strike.

Employees at the Wood Group's St Fergus gas plant will vote on whether to take industrial action over "safety concerns and attacks on terms and conditions", union representatives have said.

According to Unite the union, the dispute arises from the scrapping of daily payments for those who undertake "integral" safety responsibilities.

It is claimed some workers on the Shell-owned site could have wages slashed by up to £103 a week because of changes to payments for those who carry out safety duties and the ability for staff to volunteer to do the role.

Workers at the plant, which processes oil and gas from offshore installations in the North Sea, voted 98% in favour of balloting for industrial action in a consultation, and Unite has now confirmed it will go ahead with the ballot.

Vic Fraser, Unite regional industrial officer, said "Wood Group has informed us that they intend to unilaterally change contracts to ensure everyone in the workforce may be required to be a permit holder and are obliged to have it without any additional payment.

"Unite will not stand by as individuals who do not want to perform this safety critical role and those individuals who are not even capable to carry out the added responsibilities being forced to do so.

"The permit system is an integral part of the safety system at the gas plant."

He added: "Both Wood Group and the site operator Shell have been made aware of the reduced plant efficiency and the concerns over safety through stopping the original practice of Permit Holders coming in half an hour before the rest of the workforce.

"But, neither company appears to be interested in what the workforce has to say.

"As such, Unite members will be moving forward with an industrial action ballot to protect our members' terms and conditions, and the safety of the plant and the nearby community."

Wood Group could not be reached for comment.