OFFSHORE workers gave massive support to unions yesterday in their consultation over strike action over attacks on working conditions by North Sea oil bosses.

The GMB union said its offshore members had voted “overwhelmingly” to move to a strike ballot, while Unite announced that 93.5 per cent had voted in favour.

Workers are furious over attacks on pay and imposed changes to shift patterns from two weeks on, two weeks off to three weeks on, three weeks off — as well as an estimated 10,000 offshore job losses since the oil price slump.

Unite Scottish secretary Pat Rafferty warned a strike would affect operations on nearly every North Sea installation.

He said: “This massive support for industrial action should come as no surprise to offshore employers.

“Since the turn of the year workers covered by the Offshore Contractors Association (OCA) have been at the coal face of the opportunistic cuts agenda, which has continued unabated across the industry despite the Chancellor’s £1.3 billion tax break.

“The industry agenda is clear in that it wants to impose a reduced number of employees to work longer and for much less. It’s a ‘race to the bottom’ disease that is both unsustainable and unacceptable.”

Talks between the GMB and Unite unions and the OCA through February and March failed to dissuade the employers’ body from making unilateral changes to rotas, pay rates, sick pay and holiday patterns using the excuse of falling oil prices.

GMB national officer Dave Hulse said the vote “quite clearly demonstrates the anger and frustration of our members employed in the offshore industry.”

Mr Hulse said GMB members were prepared to “strongly oppose” unilateral changes in working conditions imposed by contractors without proper risk assessments and consultation.

Mr Rafferty added that Unite’s message to the OCA employers was simple: “Our members are not prepared to accept these impositions and they want proper participation over their livelihoods and the future of the offshore industry.

“It’s not too late to talk but the ball is in the employers’ court.”

Both GMB and Unite will now ballot their offshore members for industrial action.