On the Norwegian continental shelf, workers face complex challenges in a globalized oil, gas and energy industry. Thomas Meldal Viksjøen, an experienced crane operator at Noble Integrator, is on the front line to preserve the Norwegian working model.
International companies bring with them different working models, which requires adaptation and organized efforts from Norwegian workers to protect their rights.
One of those on the front line of this fight is Thomas Meldal Viksjøen. He is 44 years old and an experienced crane operator at Noble Integrator. Viksjøen, together with two other committed colleagues, established the SAFE club in the company. Their aim was to influence and ensure that workers’ rights are safeguarded, especially at a time when foreign companies bring with them different work cultures and practices.
– The rights of the Norwegian workers are being challenged more, seen in light of the fact that there have been more international actors on the Norwegian continental shelf. They bring their ways of working with them, which challenge the Norwegian working model, says Viksjøen.
When Thomas Viksjøen is not busy as a crane operator at Noble Integrator, he steps into the role of father to three children aged 7, 12 and 15. As well as being a family man and farmer, Thomas has also devoted some of his time over the past year to union work.
– We established the club in September 2022, it was an initiative from Graeme Mitchell to help start the club, as well as take a role on the board. My motivation for joining was to have the opportunity to influence directly, and some interest in participating in a trade union, he says.
Key actor in the establishment of the club
A key player in the establishment of the club was Graeme Mitchell, a dedicated Scottish worker with extensive experience from work in Norway. He took on the role of club leader and played a crucial role in organizing and rallying the workers to form the club.
– There has been a lot of hard work these past months, but now we are well established, and we can see the benefits for all employees in the company. Our main focus going forward is to grow the club and support our members in a very challenging industry, says Mitchell.
– Graeme has worked in Norway for 14 years, he is the driving force behind starting the club. He has done a great job there, there is a lot of work and commitment behind it, says Viksjøen.
Noble Drilling has employees from Norway, Denmark, Sweden and Great Britain. A particular challenge in the club has been the geographical spread of the members. With club manager Graeme Mitchell living in Scotland, the organization of the work has become an exercise in collaboration and effective distribution of responsibilities.
– Me and board member Barbro Johannessen have chosen to take the meetings and conferences under the auspices of SAFE. In this way, we build contacts internally in the association and with other clubs. Graeme takes on the day-to-day work of running the club, and it works incredibly well, Viksjøen believes.
Steep learning curve, never unlearned
Viksjøen and his colleagues have had challenges in the establishment process. They received valuable support from SAFE and the KCA Deutag club, who acted as mentors to the club.
– From the start, there was a lot to settle in, and the establishment process was extensive, but we received good help from SAFE and from Bjarte Lygre in the KCA Deutag club. The KCA club was our mentor club in the start-up phase, says Viksjøen.
Why did you want to create a SAFE club in Noble?
– SAFE is Norway’s only and largest pure trade union in the oil, gas and energy industry, with over 12,000 members. This makes SAFE a strong and impactful trade union. SAFE has a flat organizational structure, where accessibility has a high focus, this means that every SAFE member has easy access to SAFE’s management.
Viksjøen emphasizes the importance of SAFE’s independence from party politics and the sense of community he experiences as a member of this trade union.
– In SAFE, you feel like you are part of a family, he says.
The establishment of the club has had a positive effect on all employees in the company
The positive effect of the SAFE club’s establishment in Noble Drilling has become clear to all employees in the company.
– In Noble there has previously been only one trade union, and when we established the club it naturally became a bit of a challenge for the employer, now the company’s management had to deal with two separate clubs. We have been very well received and the collaboration with the company is very good today, says Viksjøen.