Apache workers back strike action, Unite warns of pipeline risk

More than 160 offshore workers at Apache have backed industrial action in a pay dispute, Unite said, warning that a strike could disrupt operations at the Forties oil pipeline system. The union said action could begin in October, but Apache said a ballot vote does not mean a strike will automatically take place and that it hopes to resolve the dispute through dialogue. The workers are employed across seven Apache assets associated with the Forties and Beryl fields, according to Unite. The union says members rejected a pay offer that would amount to a real-terms cut for many workers and warns that disruption at Apache’s platforms could bring the Forties Charlie platform to a standstill. Unite says that, in turn, could affect the wider pipeline system and supplies of oil and gas. The Forties system is operated by INEOS. Unite says it handles about 29% of the UK’s oil and 30% of its gas. The union’s warning describes a possible outcome, not a confirmed operational impact; whether workers will strike and what effect any action would have remain unclear. Apache said its offer includes a 4% pay increase for employees in the bargaining unit and described its proposal as fair.