Bilfinger Offshore Workers Vote for Strike Over Pension Dispute

A crowd of people protesting
Corporate News Europe Offshore
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Updated Published

The UK offshore industry may face significant disruption after more than 400 Unite members employed by Bilfinger UK voted in favor of strike action in a dispute centered on pensions.

According to Unite, a strong majority of Bilfinger’s offshore workforce supports walkouts unless the company adopts a pension scheme based on gross earnings — a model widely used by other offshore and private-sector employers.

At present, most Bilfinger workers are enrolled in a statutory minimum pension scheme in which the company contributes up to 3% of “qualifying earnings,” defined as income between £6,240 and £50,270. Earnings outside that range are excluded, meaning the maximum employer contribution is capped at £1,320.90 per year.

Unite claims that workers earning around £59,500 annually are losing more than £2,250 in employer contributions each year compared with a pension calculated from full salary.

Sharon Graham, Unite’s general secretary, criticized the current structure, stating: “Unite members are losing out on thousands of pounds every year in company pension contributions compared with other workers, which is completely unacceptable. We will back our Bilfinger members every step of the way in their fight to secure a fair settlement.”

The union said Bilfinger is financially able to meet industry standards, noting that average employer contributions in the UK private sector are about 6%, while COTA-aligned offshore companies typically contribute 6.5% of gross pay.

Paula Buchan, Unite industrial officer, warned that dozens of North Sea assets could be affected if the dispute is not resolved. “Workers doing equally skilled offshore roles are being treated unfairly compared to colleagues on salary-based schemes. Any disruption will be the direct result of Bilfinger’s refusal to address this issue,” she said.

Unite indicated that strike action could begin in the coming weeks if negotiations stall. Companies expected to feel the impact include BP, CNR, Ineos Ithaca and TAQA.