1990 Norwegian oil workers' strike

Labor dispute in Norway July 2026 1990 Norwegian oil strike 1–7 July 1990(7 1 1990 7 7 1990) North Sea Disagreements concerning pay and working conditions * Picketing Strike action * Norwegian Oil and Petrochemical Workers Union Federation of Oil Workers' Trade Union Norwegian Oil Industry Association In July 1990, about 4,000 Norwegian workers on oil platforms in the North Sea went on strike. The strike lasted from 1 to 7 July before the strikers returned to work. The strike was due to disagreements between the workers, represented by the Norwegian Oil and Petrochemical Workers Union and the Federation of Oil Workers' Trade Union, and several employers, represented by the Norwegian Oil Industry Association, concerning pay and working conditions. A day after the strike began, the national government imposed compulsory arbitration and ordered the strikers to return to work, though about 1,000 individuals defied the orders and continued to strike. In response, several employees were dismissed and Statoil (one of the employers) blocked communications between strikers on the oil platforms and the mainland. By 5 July, production had resumed at several facilities, and on 7 July, Statoil employees ceased striking. Background Petroleum industry in Norway Energy in Norwaythumb|279x279px|A map of several oil fields (in green) in the North Sea Norway was one of the largest producers of petroleum in Europe in 1990,2 July 1990 Strike Closes Oil Fields https://www.oklahoman.com/story/news/1990/07/02/strike-closes-oil-fields/62560310007/ live https://web.archive.org/web/20260721102332/https://www.oklahoman.com/story/news/1990/07/02/strike-closes-oil-fields/62560310007/ 21 July 2026 21 July 2026 The Oklahoman 53300931 second only to the United Kingdom in western Europe.21 July 2021 2 July 1990 Norwegian Strike Shutting Down Oil Rigs https://www.orlandosentinel.com/1990/07/02/norwegian-strike-shutting-down-oil-rigs/ subscription 21 July 2026 Orlando Sentinel 0744-6055 108433926026 June 1990 Norwegian Oil https://www.nytimes.com/1990/06/26/business/norwegian-oil.html subscription live https://web.archive.org/web/20230117012133/https://www.nytimes.com/1990/06/26/business/norwegian-oil.html 17 January 2023 21 July 2026 The New York Times 4 0362-4331 1645522 Reuters4 July 1990 Oil Rig Strikers Defy Norway https://www.nytimes.com/1990/07/04/business/oil-rig-strikers-defy-norway.html registration live https://web.archive.org/web/20150525191557/http://www.nytimes.com/1990/07/04/business/oil-rig-strikers-defy-norway.html 25 May 2015 17 July 2026 The New York Times 47 0362-4331 1645522 Reuters At the time, the country produced approximately 1.7 million barrels per day,2 July 1990 International Report; North Sea Hit by Oil Strike https://www.nytimes.com/1990/07/02/business/international-report-north-sea-hit-by-oil-strike.html registration live https://web.archive.org/web/20221205025321/https://www.nytimes.com/1990/07/02/business/international-report-north-sea-hit-by-oil-strike.html 5 December 2022 21 July 2026 The New York Times 8 0362-4331 1645522 Reuters with oil production responsible for roughly a quarter of the country's annual income.7 July 1990 Strike Continues in Norway https://www.nytimes.com/1990/07/07/business/strike-continues-in-norway.html subscription live https://web.archive.org/web/20150525192610/http://www.nytimes.com/1990/07/07/business/strike-continues-in-norway.html 25 May 2015 21 July 2026 The New York Times 37 0362-4331 1645522 Associated Press Much of the country's petroleum production was performed by Statoil, a state-owned enterprise which at the time operated seven oil platforms in the North Sea.Andrews Walter 6 July 1990 Norwegian oil workers' strike moves crude market https://www.upi.com/Archives/1990/07/06/Norwegian-oil-workers-strike-moves-crude-market/5426647236800/ live https://web.archive.org/web/20260717192402/https://www.upi.com/Archives/1990/07/06/Norwegian-oil-workers-strike-moves-crude-market/5426647236800/ 17 July 2026 17 July 2026 United Press International6 July 1990 P. M. Briefing: Norway Shuts Oil Sites in Strike https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1990-07-06-fi-397-story.html live https://web.archive.org/web/20251015060853/https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1990-07-06-fi-397-story.html 15 October 2025 21 July 2026 Los Angeles Times 0458-3035 3638237 Labor negotiations in 1990 In 1990, employers and employees in the country's offshore drilling industry negotiated new labor agreements, with the employers represented by the Norwegian Oil Industry Association (an employers' organization) and the employees represented primarily by two trade unions—the Norwegian Oil and Petrochemical Workers Union and the Federation of Oil Workers' Trade Unions.Gjerde Kristin Øye The toughest strike https://equinor.industriminne.no/en/the-toughest-strike/ dead https://web.archive.org/web/20230522183634/https://equinor.industriminne.no/en/the-toughest-strike/ 22 May 2023 17 July 2026 Equinor The former was affiliated with the Norwegian Confederation of Trade Unions (a trade union federation) while the latter was an independent union. Going into the negotiation, the employees and employers had been operating under a government-mandated wage freeze for the past two years. The employees were seeking an increase in pay, but were disadvantaged in the negotiations by a high unemployment rate and relatively low oil prices. Of the two unions, the Federation of Oil Workers was the more adamant in seeking gains from the employers, with the primary subject of the negotiations concerning pay and working conditions. The employers' organization was seeking a labor agreement more in-line with a moderate stance that had been agreed to nationwide between the Norwegian Confederation of Trade Unions and the Confederation of Norwegian Enterprise. As negotiations were fruitless, the two sides entered into compulsory mediation through the National Mediator of Norway, though without success. With no agreement reached, the employees gave a deadline of 1 July for a strike action to commence. It would be the industry's first since a 19-day strike against Statoil in 1986, which ended with the national government imposing compulsory arbitration on the two parties. Speculation regarding a strike caused an uptick in the price of oil in the days leading up to the deadline. Course of the strike Beginning of the strike thumb|279x279px|A Statoil-operated oil platform in the Statfjord oil field, pictured 1982The strike began at midnight on 1 July 1990, with approximately 4,000 workers engaging in a work stoppage. In addition to Statoil, other impacted companies included British Petroleum, Phillips Petroleum Company, and Smedvig.6 July 1990 Strike Falters in Norway https://www.nytimes.com/1990/07/06/business/strike-falters-in-norway.html subscription live https://web.archive.org/web/20221222131817/https://www.nytimes.com/1990/07/06/business/strike-falters-in-norway.html 22 December 2022 21 July 2026 The New York Times 15 0362-4331 1645522 Reuters Specific oil fields affected by the labor dispute included Ekofisk, Gullfaks, Gyda, Statfjord, Ula, and Veslefrikk. Additionally, operators in other North Sea oil fields, such as Valhall, were affected because their output flows went through Ekofisk, which is a major hub on the region's oil pipeline system. Ekofisk, which typically produced about 240,000 barrels per day, was completely shut down. Government and employers response Going into the strike, union leader Harald Sjonfjell no was skeptical that the national government would impose compulsory arbitration as had occurred in the 1986 strike. In this earlier instance, the unions appealed the decision to the International Labour Organization, which had found that there had been issues in the procedure's application. However, Johan J. Jakobsen, the Minister of Local Government and Labour who was serving as the country's acting head of government while Prime Minister Jan P. Syse was traveling abroad, led the Centre Party in the Storting to mandate compulsory arbitration on 2 July. Additionally, the national government imposed a back-to-work order on the strikers, saying that a prolonged strike could severely damage the nation's economy. Despite union agreement to the order, many of the workers continued to strike, with some blockading helipads to prevent strikebreakers from landing on the platforms. In response, Jakobsen saying that any workers continuing to engage in strike action would be subject to possible dismissal. By the afternoon of 2 July, with the striking having become illegal under Norwegian law, about 1,000 workers continued with their work stoppage, primarily on Statoil's facilities in Gullfaks and Statfjord and Philips Petroleum's facilities in Ekofisk. Because of the latter, many other facilities continued to be indirectly affected, as they could not transport their petroleum through Ekofisk's pipeline system. Picketing continued on several platforms, and the striking began to be locally coordinated, with no involvement from union leaders on the mainland. In response to the continued labor action, Statoil blocked communications between employees on the platforms and the mainland. Additionally, recordings of a speech made by Harald Norvik, the company's chief executive officer, were delivered to the platforms and broadcast repeatedly, with Norvik saying that continued strike action could have consequences for those involved. End of the strike By 5 July, most of the strikers had returned to work. That day, strikers on the Ekofisk field ceased striking, with Philips Petroleum saying that they expected to return to their normal production rates within several days. Statoil resumed some production but ceased by the evening of 6 July due to a lack of workers. The following day, two Statoil workers in the Statfjord field were dismissed, and around the same time, twenty Smedvig employees were dismissed. On 7 July, Statoil workers ended their strike. Impact and aftermath According to contemporary reporting in The Oklahoman, news organizations estimated that the strike would result in a daily loss of income of about $31 million (equivalent to $US 31 1990 0 c million in US). Multiple news sources reported on 6 July that, by that time, the strike had led to a loss of revenue of approximately $95 million ($US 95 1990 0 c million in US). Additionally, the strike caused significant volatility in several stock markets. Within a year of the strike, all employees who had been fired by Statoil were rehired. In August 1990, Norwegian oil platforms experienced additional strike action from construction workers who were seeking union recognition.Freeland Chrystia Chrystia Freeland 9 August 1990 North Sea construction workers strike https://www.upi.com/Archives/1990/08/09/North-Sea-construction-workers-strike/7935650174400/ live https://web.archive.org/web/20260721095616/https://www.upi.com/Archives/1990/08/09/North-Sea-construction-workers-strike/7935650174400/ 21 July 2026 21 July 2026 United Press International14 August 1990 Workers Strike in North Sea https://www.nytimes.com/1990/08/14/business/workers-strike-in-north-sea.html registration live https://web.archive.org/web/20221203112214/https://www.nytimes.com/1990/08/14/business/workers-strike-in-north-sea.html 3 December 2022 21 July 2026 The New York Times 7 0362-4331 1645522 Reuters See also History of Statoil (1972–2007) North Sea oil Timeline of strikes in 1990 References Further reading September 1990 Wage Settlement Creates Waves https://www.google.com/books/edition/News_of_Norway/6vsk9oB1jLsC News of Norway Washington, D.C. Royal Norwegian Embassy 47 7 54 0028-9272 1760321 Ryggvik Helge https://www.google.com/books/edition/Working_for_Oil/ZbZIDwAAQBAJ Working for Oil: Comparative Social Histories of Labor in the Global Oil Industry Palgrave Macmillan 2018 978-3-319-56444-9 Atabaki Touraj London 99–130 Norwegian Oil Workers: From Rebels to Parters in the Tripartite System 10.1007/978-3-319-56445-6 2017938146 975368421 Bini Elisabetta Ehsani Kaveh Category:1990 in Norway Category:1990 labor disputes and strikes Category:History of the petroleum industry in Norway Category:Labour disputes in Norway Category:Manufacturing industry strikes Category:North Sea energy