OSLO, June 19 (Reuters) - Offshore oil service workers in Norway struck a deal with employers during state-sponsored mediation to avoid going on strike in Western Europe's largest oil and gas producing nation, the IE&FLT and Safe labour unions said on Wednesday.

The government-appointed mediator separately confirmed that a deal had been reached.

The two unions initially planned to withdraw nearly 140 workers employed at SLB (SLB.N) New Tab, opens new tab, Halliburton (HAL.N) New Tab, opens new tab, Baker Hughes (BKR.O) New Tab, opens new tab, Oceaneering (OII.N) New Tab, opens new tab and Weatherford (WFRD.O) New Tab, opens new tab.

Overall, the wages talks covered over 6,000 members of IE&FLT and about 1,200 members of Safe.

While any strike action would not have hit production in the initial phase, a longer-term conflict could have impacted output.

The Norwegian oil and gas companies that operate offshore fields, including state-controlled Equinor (EQNR.OL) New Tab, opens new tab, agreed a wage deal with their workers earlier this month, preventing strike action.

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https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/norway-oil-service-workers-agree-wage-deal-averting-strike-2024-06-19/