Stavanger / September 1, 2025 – Employees working on the drilling platform Noble Integrator are demanding compensation for the period during which – despite the unit being stationed close to shore – they were not allowed to leave the workplace during their free time. The dispute concerns three months, from September 21, 2023, to January 1, 2024. The Norwegian Labor Court (Arbeidsretten) will decide whether they are entitled to compensation.
Dispute Over Interpretation of the Collective Agreement
The employees base their claims on paragraph 3.7 of the collective agreement for mobile offshore installation workers. It provides for additional pay of 50 kroner per hour in cases where employees – without valid safety or operational reasons – are prevented from going ashore.
The agreement, however, includes exceptions: compensation does not apply if the full crew is required for safety reasons, or if access to land is only possible by air transport.
The union Forbundet Styrke, representing the employees, argues that the exception should apply only to short-term situations related to the platform’s planned departure. According to union representative Frode Larsen, a broad interpretation of the “full readiness” clause would deprive workers of their real right to compensation.
The employer – Noble Drilling Norge AS, supported by the Norwegian Shipowners’ Association – counters that the stay in Åmøyfjorden was part of a contract with Aker BP, requiring modernization of the unit. Therefore, according to the employer, the conditions for excluding the right to additional pay were met.
Consequences of the Verdict
The Labor Court began hearing the case on September 2, 2025. If the ruling favors the unions, the employer will have to pay outstanding compensation – which, at a rate of 50 kroner per hour, could amount to significant sums for the employees.
The ruling will affect not only those employed on Noble Integrator, but the entire offshore industry. The court’s decision will determine how the disputed provisions of collective agreements regarding compensation for restrictions on free time should be interpreted in practice.
Source: FriFagbevegelse – Ansatte fikk ikke lov å forlate arbeidsplassen. Nå krever de erstatning
