Norwegian oil workers have voted in favour of a pay deal that will see their incomes rise by 4.5%. The decision has reduced the likelihood of further strike action that might have resulted in a partial shutdown of the country’s offshore oil and gas industry.

The vote, on a preliminary wage deal agreed last month, was passed with 78.8% in favour of the pay increase. However, out of 5800 employees covered by the agreement, only 2111 actually voted. The workers’ Union leader, Leif Sande, was quoted as saying that the result “shows that members are satisfied with the favourable financial terms arrived at through negotiation and that a solid majority were not prepared for a conflict this time round.”

Norwegian offshore workers went on strike for 16 days in July this year, causing a shutdown of approximately 13% of Norwegian oil output before the government forcibly ended the strike in order to protect the country’s reputation as a reliable producer.

Edited from various sources by David Bizley