Norway’s offshore union, Industri Energi, has warned Technip Singapore PTE about a boycott starting October 23 because the company, reportedly, refuses to conclude a collective agreement.
Namely, Industri Energi’s association chairman Leif Sande and area manager Ommund Stokka delivered today (September 30) a boycott notice to Technip Singapore PTE Ltd, at the company’s premises in Singapore.
“Industri Energi requires oil workers in underwater construction companies on the Norwegian shelf to have Norwegian wages and working conditions,” says union leader Leif Sande .
According to IE, association OSA Inspectorate has revealed that Technip Singapore exerts “social dumping” on the Norwegian continental shelf, which means that the company’s employees perform work for wages and working conditions far below Norwegian standards.
“Technip Singapore have people who work on multipurpose vessels on the Norwegian continental shelf that are not covered by a collective agreement. This cannot be accepted,” says Ommund Stokka , area manager at Industri Energi.
The boycott is intended to stop Technip Singapore from getting assignments on the Norwegian continental shelf.
“Our members and officers will be encouraged to work towards this vision everywhere they have the opportunity. For example, in contract departments, boardrooms and other venues,” the union stated.
Technip has substantial activity on the Norwegian shelf and is split into several different subsidiaries and Technip Singapore is staffing agency for the rest of the company.
“The oil workers who work on Technip’s multipurpose vessels don’t have collective agreements, and neither we nor the Norwegian authorities know who has supervisory responsibility for these ships. These oil workers are outlaws on the Norwegian shelf,” says Ommund Stokka.
Industri Energi claims that workers are not covered by the Working Environment Act when they install subsea equipment and therefore also has a political demand from Parliament that they will be covered by the Working Environment Act and the Petroleum Safety Authority should be their supervision.