Apache Offshore Workers Schedule Strikes Over North Sea Pay Dispute

More than 160 offshore workers employed by Apache are scheduled to begin a 24-hour strike at 6 a.m. on Wednesday, October 21, with a second strike planned for November 4. The industrial action, organized by the Unite union, affects seven installations in the Beryl and Forties fields, including the Forties Charlie platform. The dispute centers on pay and backdated wages, with workers rejecting a 4% pay increase offer they claim represents a real-terms wage cut.

Unite warns that the action could cause a sharp drop in pressure within the Forties Pipeline System, which handles approximately 30% of UK oil production. The union claims that shutting down the Charlie platform could force the entire system offline, disrupting output from other North Sea operators and severely affecting national fuel supplies. Apache has rejected these claims, stating that contingency plans using experienced contractors will maintain production and that any pressure reduction would be comparable to routine maintenance.

General Secretary Sharon Graham characterized the company's refusal to make an acceptable offer as "reckless behaviour" driven by "shameful corporate greed." Apache maintains its 4% offer is fair, noting that employees in the bargaining unit are already among the highest earners in the UK. The conciliation service Acas is scheduled to hold talks to attempt to avert the walkouts. These tensions occur as Apache plans to exit North Sea operations by 2029.