Over 300 Norwegian service workers have been laid off amid an ongoing strike.
The Norwegian Oil and Gas Association said Baker Hughes, Schlumberger and Halliburton laid off a combined 350 people on Wednesday.
According to Rigzone, Baker Hughes laid off 300 workers, Halliburton AS laid off 29 workers and Schlumberger Norge AS laid off 24 workers.
The Norwegian Oil and Gas Association, an industry group representing employers, said the layoffs are tied to reduced activity levels caused by the strike.
“All the people who work every day to keep a rig in operation no longer have anything to do as a result of the strike,” the association said.
The strike was called by Industri Energi on September 21 after negotiations for a new pay deal failed.
About 300 service employees are participating in the industrial action.
The striking workers are employed by Schlumberger Norge, Baker Hughes Norge, Halliburton Norge, Oceaneering and Oceaneering Asset Integrity.
The strike will affect environmental treatment of drilling waste and well monitoring activities.
The strike also removed computer engineers who work with well monitoring and employees who work with unmanned underwater vehicles on Songa`s cat D -rigs.
The Norwegian Oil and Gas Association said on Wednesday that the layoffs are the only way for impacted firms to reduce losses after the strike shut down some offshore operations.
“The companies are already in a financially challenging position. We find it very regrettable that companies and employees end up in a position where jobs are put at risk,” lead negotiator for the Norwegian Oil and Gas Association Jan Hodneland.
The Norwegian Oil and Gas Association said when the strike began that the action was expected to affect drilling at fixed and mobile facilities.
Industri Energi said earlier this month that the strike actions could be escalated if a deal is not reached.
“In the first place we will take out a limited number of members, but it is possible escalation of the strike may become necessary,” Industri Energi secretary in charge of the oil service agreement Einar Johannessen said earlier this month.
