3F Transport local chairman in Esbjerg Jakob Lykke is known for saying things directly, and he did so this week. The union representative, who also sits on the municipal council for the Social Democrats in Esbjerg, not only demanded significantly higher wages for his members. He also criticized the employment culture at TotalEnergies, which hires people through their suppliers, with the following words:
- It is all the way from the platform manager down that people are just hired for the job. It affects the entire working environment and the entire flow of employees that we see. The global companies would rather hire people than employ them. In my opinion, they are abdicating all responsibility. So it is people and not French fries that are the issue here, said Jakob Lykke.
But TotalEnergies does not agree with that interpretation. This is stated by HSE Director at TotalEnergies Loiuse Kolding in a written response. The HSE area covers health, safety and environment.
"We have around 275 of our own employees working offshore in the North Sea, and we fill the key positions with our own managers and experts," the response reads.
TotalEnergies also announces that the company's own 275 employees make up almost a third of the total number of offshore employees. The rest are employed by suppliers.
Rich of international employees
She instead points to another situation that poses challenges for operators in the North Sea right now. And it has something to do with the recruitment situation.
"The entire offshore sector is currently experiencing a huge influx of new employees, as it is difficult to get enough Danes to apply for the positions. As an operator, we are experiencing an increasing internationalization of the workplaces," writes Louise Koldig.
It is an international influx that is being felt offshore, and a new initiative is already underway.
"Previously it was largely the same teams with the same cultural background, now we see much greater diversity. That is why we have launched a major action plan with a focus on safety and the working environment," she explains and elaborates on what the plan is about:
"It includes, among other things, a cultural project that will help create better understanding across cultures and contribute to a stronger common identity."
Louise Koldig does not comment on the wage demands of union member Jakob Lykke on behalf of his members, but she has opened up for the possibility of an interview after the winter break.
A previous version of this article did not state how large a proportion of TotalEnergies' own employees make up of the total number of employees. TotalEnergies' 275 own employees make up just under a third of the total number of offshore employees, according to a written addendum from the company on 13.02.23.
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