// BBC BUSINESS NEWS — FINANZA
Wood Group offshore workers launch 48-hour strike in row over pay
At its peak in 2013, Wood reached a market valuation of more than £5bn and employed more than 50,000 people in oilfields around the world
Offshore workers on a number of North Sea platforms are taking strike action in a dispute over pay and conditions.
The Unite and RMT unions said they are in dispute with the Wood Group over its decision to "slash" the pay and conditions of dozens of offshore workers, including through the threat of issuing fire-and-rehire notices.
The strikes will affect a number of installations run by Harbour Energy, including the Britannia, Jasmine, Judy, Lomond and North Everest platforms.
The Wood Group said it had been notified of the action and added that staff and operational safety remained its "top priority".
Production, instrument and mechanical technicians are among those set to walk out for a total of six days in October and November, beginning with a two-day walk-out which started at midnight.
Vic Fraser, Unite regional officer in Aberdeen, said his members had been left with no choice but to strike
Further walkouts are expected on 20 and 21 October and 3 and 4 November.
The RMT has also instructed its members not to work any overtime from 8 October until further notice.
The news comes after a warning that separate strike action by offshore workers at energy firm Apache could "severely disrupt" UK fuel supplies.