Offshore Energy Branch 

About us

We are the Offshore Energy Branch (OILC Branch) of the National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers (RMT).

Offshore Industry Liaison Committee (OILC)

We were first known as the Offshore Industry Liaison Committee (OILC).  The OILC was formed in 1989, a year after the Piper Alpha disaster in July 1988 which killed 167 workers. 

OILC was created in response to the Piper disaster and many other accidents, including those that followed Piper like the fatal gas blowout on the Ocean Odyssey rig in September 1988, and the gas explosion on the Brent Delta platform on 1 January 1989. 

To begin with the group aimed to bring unions together to establish Trade Union recognition offshore and improve health and safety standards. Then in 1992 OILC became an independent Trade Union certified by the Trade Union Certification Officer.  OILC then merged with the National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers (RMT) in 2008, and today we are RMT's Offshore Energy Branch, based in Aberdeen.

Offshore photos

Our role today

We provide protection and support to workers across the offshore energy sector including oil and gas, renewables, maritime operations and decommissioning.

We organise workers in: 

• Production, engineering, maintenance, and fabric maintenance
• All catering grades, administration and logistics
• Drilling, well services, inspection, survey and testing
• ROV operations, diving (inshore and offshore), dive support, pipe lay, cable lay and lifting
• Marine crew on flotels, crew transfer, walk to work, supply, stand by, and anchor handling vessels

Our work

At the Offshore Energy Branch of RMT we focus on:

• Health and safety
  - making sure your workplace is safe and working conditions meet standards

• Offshore conditions
  - we seek to influence every aspect of employment from pay to working hours, rest, accommodation, and everything in-between
  
  
• Collaboration with other unions
  - we work with other UK Trade Unions through the Offshore Coordinating Group (OCG), formed by RMT, Unite, Nautilus, Balpa and GMB, then joined by PCS.  We also collaborate with Trade unions in Norway, Denmark, Netherlands and the wider EU through the International Transport Federation, Offshore Task Force, to maintain standards across the European Continental Shelf.
  
  
• Handling member questions confidentially 
  - email or call the Branch Secretary at – oilc@rmt.org call 07486 090101
  - contact Michelle Brown at the RMT office on – 01224 582688 or email m.brown@rmt.org.uk
  - email the Regional Organiser, Ann Joss at – a.joss@rmt.org.uk

  - email the website officers at – info@rmt-offshore.uk

  
  
• Campaigns
  - our priority right now is securing a Just Transition for workers. The aim is to ensure for the future well paid, quality, secure jobs for workers impacted by the transition away from oil and gas industries to renewables. Our long running campaign is our Fighting For Standards (FFS!) campaign around a number of issues impacting members across the industrial sector. 
  
  
• Negotiating Collective Bargaining Agreements for Offshore workers
  - we are involved with a number of collective agreements covering a range of offshore energy workers 

Membership of the RMT

RMT members enjoy benefits and protection which goes beyond the statutory provisions of Employment Law. RMT aims to ensure you have better working conditions, better pay, better protections and regular reviews to drive continuous improvements to your conditions.

RMT membership provides you with:

• Individual and collective representation with grievance or disciplinary matters and other issues
  
• Lawyers who specialise in Employment Law (no cost to you)
  
• Specialised Personal Injury Lawyers (no cost to you)
  
• Negotiators with a wealth of knowledge and experience in wage negotiations and collective agreement benefits, to provide you with the best possible working conditions
  
• A policy team providing vital research and evidence to develop strategy and the quality of argument required to deal with the industry employers and government
  
• You will have representatives involved in industry forums aimed at improving standards in health, safety and employment practices
  
• Regional councils and branch structures giving you direct input to officers and officials
  
• Training and education in a range of subjects all free to our members
  
• A range of supplementary benefits to support you and your family

Find out more about the benefits of RMT membership and how to join.

Our Team

Our team bring decades of experience in a wide variety of offshore roles to their work for the Offshore Energy Branch, find out more about who they are and how they can help. 

Get involved

We are always looking for volunteers from across the offshore sector to join the team.  We need every installation/vessel to have a workplace rep so we can ensure your voices are heard.  We know the idea of being a rep is a big ask, but you can start out as a contact if you would prefer.

Our Offshore reps and contacts decide for themselves how involved they want to be. You can declare to employers that you are the rep and you will have all the protections that brings. Alternatively, in the casual role of a contact, we can send you material to share with colleagues or we can contact you occasionally to ask questions you might be able to help with.

All our volunteers also have opportunities to help with:

• Supporting our members
• Campaigning
• Organising branch meetings
• Having input into collective bargaining agreements
• And much more...

If you are interested in getting involved please get in touch, we can have a chat.