Court to Decide on Technip Boycott Case in Norway

Ommund Stokka, Einar Living Land and Alexander Lindboe in the Labour Court in Oslo. Photo Atle Espen Helgesen
Ommund Stokka, Einar Living Land and Alexander Lindboe in the Labor Court in Oslo. Photo Atle Espen Helgesen

Norway’s offshore union, Industri Energi (IE) and the Norwegian Confederation of Trade Unions (LO) have been taken to court by NHO and Technip Norway for the alleged “breach of peace obligation”.

Namely, in September last year, IE delivered a boycott notice to Technip Singapore PTE after the company rejected the collective agreement for its offshore workers engaged on the Norwegian shelf.

The boycott was scheduled for October 23, however NHO, as the main representative organisation for Norwegian employers, and Technip Norway, are said to believe the boycott is directed against the Norwegian part of Technip and thus violating the peace obligation. Now it’s up to the Labor Court to decide whether the action is intended to frame Technip Norway.

Nevertheless, IE’s Ommund Stokka said he believes they have a good case and expects that the Labor Court will agree with the union’s requirements for a collective agreement in Technip Singapore.

The boycott is postponed until a decision falls in the Labor Court. A judgment is expected within a month, IE informed.

Subsea World News Staff