More than 160 offshore oil workers represented by Unite are preparing for a 24-hour strike beginning October 21 amid stalled wage negotiations with energy company Apache. The walkout will affect five platforms connected to the Forties Pipeline System, which handles approximately 30% of the United Kingdom's oil production. Separately, workers employed by Wood Group are planning a 48-hour strike at several Harbour Energy platforms, increasing the potential for disruptions. Unite argues that employers have failed to adequately address workers' pay demands, while Apache maintains that its compensation is competitive and that contingency measures can help maintain production.
See "North Sea strikes could severely disrupt UK fuel supplies, union warns", Jillian Ambrose , The Guardian, October 19, 2026