Employer wants me to work on an oil rig for 3 weeks

Employer wants me to work on an oil rig for 3 weeks

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Beknown

Original Poster:

254 posts

145 months

Saturday 21st February 2015
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My employer wants me to work on a customer’s oil rig for 3 weeks which I am happy to do, but I want more money to do so. How do I go about asking tactfully?

Some background; I visit various customers offices about once a month, sometimes on the other side of the globe and usually for no more than 3 days. I don’t get paid any extra, I don’t get overpaid and any travelling is done in my own time. It’s a st situation but I’ve stuck with it for a few reasons (experience, potential etc.)

Now I’m happy to visit the rig, this is no problem in itself but I really do feel I should be rewarded more for this.

First of all the contract between the customer and my employer states a 12 hour working day, I am only paid for 7.5 hours so for a kick off I want a full 12 hours salary per day.

But I also think I should be paid an increased rate due to the fact I’ll be sat on a very large bomb and it’s not like I’ll be staying in a hotel with a bar for entertainment.

I think this is a reasonable request but I a lacking in experience regarding the going rate, or whatever.

Any advice welcome, thank you.

(P.S. I get paid 6.5% of what we will be charging the customer to do the job, so I don't think an increase in remuneration is unreasonable).

Wacky Racer

38,099 posts

246 months

Saturday 21st February 2015
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Have you ever been on an oil rig before?...I haven't.

I think it would be worth it just for the experience ....

For the sake of a few quid for three days I wouldn't bother personally.

Only you know how your bosses will react......smile

Shuvi McTupya

24,460 posts

246 months

Saturday 21st February 2015
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Not sure how to negotiate the raise, but not only will you be doing 12 hour shifts, you will be doing 7 day weeks..there is no time off on a platform, if you are lucky though, the guy you are sharing a cabin with will be on the opposite shift..if you are lucky..otherwise it sucks even more smile

Don't worry about the danger of being on the platform though, it is the chopper rides that you need to worry about...

Beknown

Original Poster:

254 posts

145 months

Saturday 21st February 2015
quotequote all
No I haven’t and yes it may be a good experience (got to do the helicopter survival training) but that doesn’t mean I should have my ass ridden by my employer.

And it’s not 3 days its 3 weeks!

Mark-C

5,010 posts

204 months

Saturday 21st February 2015
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Wacky Racer said:
Have you ever been on an oil rig before?...I haven't.

I think it would be worth it just for the experience ....

For the sake of a few quid for three days I wouldn't bother personally.

Only you know how your bosses will react......smile
It's three weeks by the look of the OP post.

OP - riggers get paid good money (even with the oil price plummet) to make up for sitting on a box in the North Sea for three weeks at a time. You should expect the same and your employer should expect to pay it. It's years (many) since I've done it but I had to go through all sorts of survival courses and tests before I could go out to a rig for a fairly basic piece of IT work - assuming these are still appropriate is this part of the deal?

Beknown

Original Poster:

254 posts

145 months

Saturday 21st February 2015
quotequote all
Shuvi McTupya said:
Not sure how to negotiate the raise, but not only will you be doing 12 hour shifts, you will be doing 7 day weeks..there is no time off on a platform, if you are lucky though, the guy you are sharing a cabin with will be on the opposite shift..if you are lucky..otherwise it sucks even more smile

Don't worry about the danger of being on the platform though, it is the chopper rides that you need to worry about...
fk thats a good point which slipped my mind, why I love pistonheads! You see I don't get paid for working weekends...

Everyone who works on a rig gets a st load for the privilege (I know I've seen the wages our customers pay!) so if I'm going to be on there then I want the same treatment.

Sheepshanks

32,528 posts

118 months

Saturday 21st February 2015
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Shuvi McTupya said:
... it is the chopper rides that you need to worry about...
I know someone who had to do what the OP is saying, and he had to go through a helicopter crash survival course. I wonder if that's mandatory?


Shuvi McTupya

24,460 posts

246 months

Saturday 21st February 2015
quotequote all
Sheepshanks said:
I know someone who had to do what the OP is saying, and he had to go through a helicopter crash survival course. I wonder if that's mandatory?
Yes it is.

Sheepshanks

32,528 posts

118 months

Sunday 22nd February 2015
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Shuvi McTupya said:
Yes it is.
Thanks - I was a bit slow posting and I see the OP has said he's got to do it.


Have mixed feelings about his main question though - sounds like he travels quite a lot and there's no system of being paid extra.

It's the same for me - I have nights away in the UK and sometimes have to go to the US, where I'm expected to fly on a Saturday as the flights are cheaper. When there, it's basically work and sleep, there's no free time.

Wacky Racer

38,099 posts

246 months

Sunday 22nd February 2015
quotequote all
Mark-C said:
It's three weeks by the look of the OP post.

OP - riggers get paid good money (even with the oil price plummet) to make up for sitting on a box in the North Sea for three weeks at a time. You should expect the same and your employer should expect to pay it. It's years (many) since I've done it but I had to go through all sorts of survival courses and tests before I could go out to a rig for a fairly basic piece of IT work - assuming these are still appropriate is this part of the deal?
Ah, sorry, not paying enough attention....

That alters things quite a bit.

Maybe a rise is in order then, but is it worth rocking the boat?.......not too sure.....

HD Adam

5,143 posts

183 months

Sunday 22nd February 2015
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Well, unless you're refusing to go offshore, you could just mention in passing to your boss, "I hear that the most people who go offshore for ad-hoc work get a day rate on top of their salary" and see how he reacts.

If it's "No way Jose", you know where you stand. If he seems amenable to the idea, you can start negotiating.

In all honesty, you should treat it as a positive work experience.
Half the posts on here used to be "How can I get offshore" and you are getting your BOSIET paid for and an opportunity.
The risks are minimal. I presume you'll be doing something techie inside the accommodation rather than being out on the deck or rig floor and your only real worry is over eating from the 4 meals a day and constant snacks.
Realistically, you're more likely to die on the way to the heliport in the car than you are on the chopper or the installation itself.

Get out there, see if you fit in and start networking,

You never know, you might be soon be earning those Hollywood wages we all get biggrin

anonymous-user

53 months

Sunday 22nd February 2015
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You seriously visit customers at the other side of the globe and don't get paid (or ask) any additional money? No per diem, nothing?

Sorry but more fool you. And bloody hell, don't go on to a rig for 3 weeks without additional day rate on top of base salary.

You're being taken for a mug. Stop being a sap and ASK for the money.

Shuvi McTupya

24,460 posts

246 months

Sunday 22nd February 2015
quotequote all
I would think an uplift of £100 a day would be the minimum...

Mojocvh

16,837 posts

261 months

Sunday 22nd February 2015
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Getting your offshore tickets [and keeping the certs] is a rather large bonus.

However you want to be paid for the hassle, discomfort and risk, period.

Mojocvh

16,837 posts

261 months

Sunday 22nd February 2015
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DoubleTime said:
You seriously visit customers at the other side of the globe and don't get paid (or ask) any additional money? No per diem, nothing?

Sorry but more fool you. And bloody hell, don't go on to a rig for 3 weeks without additional day rate on top of base salary.

You're being taken for a mug. Stop being a sap and ASK for the money.
If you ain't getting it your boss is.

Rickeh

246 posts

214 months

Sunday 22nd February 2015
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DoubleTime said:
And bloody hell, don't go on to a rig for 3 weeks without additional day rate on top of base salary.
Everyone gets paid extra for nights spent offshore. Danger pay, 12 hr shifts, isolation of not being able to leave the rig.

Place I used to work at all office based staff who went offshore got £50 per day extra and a day off in lieu of full weekend worked. That is definitely at the lower end of the staff day rate spectrum. The place I work at now pays several times that.

Let us know how you get on. Your company should be expecting to pay this and working it into their pricing.


Beknown

Original Poster:

254 posts

145 months

Sunday 22nd February 2015
quotequote all
Thanks for all your comments.

Just to confirm, yes I sometimes work away and sometimes do as st load of hours for no extra pay, all the while the customer is paying more an hour than I earn in a day (they pay for travel time also).

For example travel for 20 hours, get 4 hours sleep, work nonstop for 20 hours because something has broken, then travel home for 20 hours – all for the same amount of tuppence which I’d have got if I had stayed behind my desk.

I thought they can’t legally make me work more than 48 hours in a week but that’s another matter…

Anyway, I’ll ask for 12 hours pay + £100 per night.

Cheers all.

Asterix

24,438 posts

227 months

Sunday 22nd February 2015
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Without knowing the full picture, there may be another strategy to play.

Mention that other companies would pay extra rates etc... but if it get's rebuffed, don't labour the point. Go and do the job, get your safety training and certs and the next time it's needed, you're in a much stronger position plus it's another set of skills/experience you have because if I was you, I'd be looking for another job pronto that looks after you when you're grafting away from home.

If you ask for the extras, are they in a position just to send someone else from your team that will put up and shut up?

MrSparks

648 posts

119 months

Sunday 22nd February 2015
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I don't think you should beat about the bush and drop hints etc.

Speak to your boss and tell him that you want your danger money.

He knows he has to pay it but if you don't question him he won't mention it.

As someone else has already said, if he doesn't pay you it it's just extra money for him because you can bet that he's not "forgotten" about danger money when quoting the job to the end client.

Problem with being a boss, even a good legit, ethical one, is that if you're staff seem happy and aren't asking for things then you've got no real need to try and give them anything extra. Such is life.

Olf

11,974 posts

217 months

Sunday 22nd February 2015
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I'd start with an opening negotiation of double money and work back from there to where you are comfortable. If your Boss isn't charging a substantial premium and mob de-mob on your rate then he's doing it all wrong. Also start as you mean to go on - presumably if you do this job well similar work could follow?