Collective Bargaining Agreements, or CBAs, are the documents which have been developed through negotiations with your employers.
NOTE: the documents available for download here are stored on the Offshore Energy Branch website not the author's website.
The agreements are ‘agreed’ between your employers and your Trade Union as the minimum standards that should be applied for pay and conditions. We usually just call them ‘agreements’ and this page links to agreements covering:
The Caterers Offshore Trade Association (COTA) agreement is produced by COTA.
"Established over 20 years ago, the Caterers Offshore Trade Association (COTA) represents six companies which supply catering and auxiliary services to offshore oil and gas rigs in the North Sea... COTA’s main priority is maintaining a collective focus on safety and service delivery for the benefit of our customers and our people. Together we employ over 3,000 employees, including chefs, bakers, stewards and administrative team members."
Source: COTA
Download the COTA Agreement for 2024-25 (PDF - 7.25MB)
NOTE: this document is available to download from the Offshore Energy Branch website
The Energy Services Agreement (ESA) agreement is produced by Offshore Energies UK (OEUK) .
"The Energy Services Agreement (ESA) document, as outlined by Offshore Energies UK (OEUK), is a framework for setting minimum employment standards within the energy sector, particularly for those working in the UK Continental Shelf area. It encompasses guidelines on wages, working conditions, and holiday entitlements, aiming to ensure fair treatment and equitable conditions for employees amidst the industry’s transition towards net-zero emissions."
Source: OEUK
Download the ESA Agreement - January 2025 issue (PDF - 5.46 MB)
NOTE: this document is available to download from the Offshore Energy Branch website
The Offshore Diving Industry Agreement (ODIA) agreement is produced by ODIA.
"The Offshore Diving Industry Agreement (ODIA) dates back to the early 1980s. It is the name of a collective agreement between 5 diving contractor companies and the RMT trade union, governing minimum rates of pay, allowances and health/injury insurance for UK North Sea diving personnel."
Source: ODIA
Download the ODIA Agreement (PDF - 3.58 MB)
NOTE: this document is available to download from the Offshore Energy Branch website
The agreements posted here are sector agreements covering multiple employers across those industrial disciplines. RMT also negotiates company specific agreements which deal with individual employers and these are available for members employed by those specific companies. All agreements are reviewed at different intervals and as a member you will be notified when a review is taking place. This includes individual company agreements such as - Tidewater, DeepOcean, TechnipFMC, Vattenfall, and others.
We need to hear what your thoughts are during these reviews, what changes you would like to see, what your priorities are. They are your agreements and you will decide through a referendum/ballot whether proposed changes meet your expectations.
To conduct the reviews/negotiations RMT will have a full-time officer involved. However, as the agreements belong to you, it is vital you are involved in the negotiations through elected reps/shop stewards. We need reps on every installation and vessel to ensure your voice is heard. Find out more about how you can get involved.
If you are interested in being an RMT rep please get in touch with the Branch at: info@rmt-offshore.uk
