Norway tells industry, unions to resolve dispute

Still at loggerheads: Norway officials did not step in Friday to force end to labor dispute

related stories

By News wires

 06 July 2012 21:40 GMT

Norway's government refrained from forcing striking offshore oil and gas workers back to work on Friday, instead asking them to resume mediated talks on Saturday to avert a total shutdown of oil and gas output by western Europe's biggest producer.

Labour Minister Hanne Bjurstroem summoned employers and labour unions on Friday to a meeting and told them to resolve the dispute, which has rattled oil markets for the past two weeks, Reuters reported.

Norway's oil production has fallen by around 13% and its gas output by 4% as a result of the walkout.

The dispute escalated on Thursday after Norway's oil industry association, the OLF, announced plans to lock the workers out from 10 July.

"I have asked the parties to take up negotiations, and they have agreed. I have not given…

Become an Upstream member!

Membership includes a subscription to our weekly newspaper providing in-depth news from the energy industry, plus full-access to this site and its archives. Still not convinced? Try our free trial.

Already a member?

Login

Upstream share price index