WATCHING THE WORLD A BRITISH AFFAIR

The series of strikes that has disrupted construction work in the U.K. North Sea since the beginning of the month is a peculiarly British affair.

Construction and catering workers employed by contractors have been called out four times this month not by the six unions that represent many people working off the U.K. but by an unofficial group, the Offshore Oil Industry Liaison Committee (OILC).

The committee was formed in response to Britain's labor relations laws that prevent lightning strikes that are called without ballot and are designed to catch employers at their most vulnerable time.

OILC DEVELOPS

With a convenient way around the labor laws, OILC has become a powerful, well-heeled organization during the past 12 months. Under the leadership of a Scot, Ronnie McDonald, it has completely eclipsed the traditional unions.

OILC has shown itself astute in its handling of the media and in flat-footing the contracting industry, which has not been noted for its sophisticated approach to industrial relations.

The current round of strikes has been planned for some time. They were timed to hit the North Sea industry at its most vulnerable-in the midst of programs required to install emergency shutdown valves on platforms to meet the U.K. government's yearend deadline for completing the work.

The August timing should have given strike organizers maximum media coverage at a time when hard news stories are traditionally scarce.

President Saddam Hussein's invasion of Kuwait changed all that. Strike coverage was squeezed by the Middle East crisis with the main media interest centered on whether the action was cutting North Sea oil production. The fact that, at this stage, production is unchanged ensured that general media interest remained muted.

After the fourth strike contractors seemed to have gained the upper hand, with OILC suspending its plans for further strikes while it meets national union officials.

Through the Offshore Contractors Council, the contracting companies claim support for the work stoppages has been progressively waning and many of the 1,400 persons who took part in the latest stoppage have been flown ashore to face suspension or dismissal.

OILC concedes it has made little progress in its demands: greater union recognition, placing offshore installations under the same health and safety laws as onshore industrial plants, and transfer of responsibility for offshore safety from the Department of Energy to the authority that polices onshore plants.

WHAT WORKS BEST

One thing has become clear from the course of the dispute. OILC has found it much easier to organize strikes in fields where the contractors' work force is largely isolated from the rest of the offshore crew in temporary accommodations on semisubmersible flotels.

In Brent field, where operator Shell U.K. Exploration & Production encouraged contractors to take a tough line with strikes, 250 men refused to be flown home and staged a sit-in on the two flotels.

Strike committees have virtually taken over the flotels controlling access to platforms through bridge links. Contractors and oil companies claim there is considerable intimidation of offshore workers on the flotels, although this is strenuously denied by OILC.