Employer wants me to work on an oil rig for 3 weeks
Discussion
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 s
t 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).
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 s
t 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).
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 
Don't worry about the danger of being on the platform though, it is the chopper rides that you need to worry about...
fDon't worry about the danger of being on the platform though, it is the chopper rides that you need to worry about...
k 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 s
t 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. 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.
Just to confirm, yes I sometimes work away and sometimes do as s
t 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.
Thanks for all the feedback gents, some nice out the box thinking being displayed.
The last time we needed to send someone to a rig was 3 years ago so infrequent to say the least, my colleague who attended then has since left. I can’t say I have any desire to work on a rig so the qualifications are of no real interest but never say never.
I work in a team of half a dozen and I am favourite to go due to skill set, familiarity with the customer and also my other colleagues have family/children etc. so not really practical for them to spend such a long time away from home.
It does sound like I have a st job and in fairness it could be a lot fairer but it’s had its advantages, I do keep meaning to look for a new job however I’m taking a month’s holiday in the summer and I didn’t want to saddle that with a new employer.
So is it normal these days to pay no extra when employers are out of the office or doing overtime?
The last time we needed to send someone to a rig was 3 years ago so infrequent to say the least, my colleague who attended then has since left. I can’t say I have any desire to work on a rig so the qualifications are of no real interest but never say never.
I work in a team of half a dozen and I am favourite to go due to skill set, familiarity with the customer and also my other colleagues have family/children etc. so not really practical for them to spend such a long time away from home.
It does sound like I have a s
t job and in fairness it could be a lot fairer but it’s had its advantages, I do keep meaning to look for a new job however I’m taking a month’s holiday in the summer and I didn’t want to saddle that with a new employer. So is it normal these days to pay no extra when employers are out of the office or doing overtime?
Hi all thanks for the replies.
Well they agreed to pay me for the additional hours, however the £100 a night I requested was denied and I was offered £20 instead.
They said prove to them the going rate is £100 and they will.
Any advice apart from finding a new job? Obviously I can't show them this thread...
At the end of the day I will do it for the experience but as I am the only employee willing to go I want to push them for a bit more.
Well they agreed to pay me for the additional hours, however the £100 a night I requested was denied and I was offered £20 instead.
They said prove to them the going rate is £100 and they will.
Any advice apart from finding a new job? Obviously I can't show them this thread...
At the end of the day I will do it for the experience but as I am the only employee willing to go I want to push them for a bit more.
Shuvi McTupya said:
OP, let us know how it goes, I am also curious to hear what you think of the survival training..
Hi, why the interest in the survival training? It all looks rather controlled and exciting.Oh, my employer asked others and everyone said no
One person said their hernia can't withstand the survival training but the way it was said was pure bullst Gassing Station | Jobs & Employment Matters | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff