Fresh strike threat in North Sea

Another union's planning to ballot offshore workers on industrial action, on the eve of the most important budget ever for the North Sea. The RMT Union's accusing operators of exploiting the slump in the oil price to launch an unprecedented attack on the workforce. They say shift patterns, sick pay, pensions, travel allowances are all at risk. That's on top of threats to jobs and pay. They'll ballot members working for specific companies, on specific installations - and they will target industrial action to have the maximum impact on operations.

The GMB and Unite have already made similar moves in recent weeks.

It comes the day before what's widely considered the most important budget ever for the sector. Oil and Gas UK say operators need at least a 10% cut in the tax level to get through the oil price crisis.