NORTH Sea workers will push ahead with a 24-hour strike after talks over plans to cut pay and allowances broke down.

Wood Group staff in the Rail, Maritime and Transport union, as well as the Unite organisation, based on Shell platforms, are due to walk out at 6.30am this morning (Tuesday, July 26), with further stoppages planned in the coming weeks.

Around 400 people will be involved in the strike, which will also include a ban on overtime, in what has been described as the first action of its kind in a generation.

Officials say workers’ pay and allowances could be cut by as much as 30 per cent following the downturn in the industry.

Wood Group says it hopes to find a resolution to the fall-out.

However, John Boland, Unite regional officer said: “To say we are disappointed it has had to come to this is an understatement, but Wood Group are simply not listening.”

The Wood Group operates across engineering and construction management for oil, gas and renewable energy projects.

It manages operations at the Central Area Transmission System gas terminal, in Seal Sands, near Billingham, and previously took on Gateshead coatings company Pyeroy.

A spokesman said: "Safeguarding jobs in the North Sea has always been our priority.”