A court has found against Statoil in a dispute over starting times for workers at the Kårstø gas treatment plant north of Stavanger.
In a judgement published yesterday, the Karmsund district court - sitting as an industrial tribunal - agreed that working hours at the plant begin when employees arrive at the entrance gate.
This accorded with the position taken by the Norwegian Oil and Petrochemical Workers Union (Nopef) and the Norwegian Petrotechnical Union (NPTF).
Statoil had contended that working hours start when employees reach their place of work within the Kårstø complex.
"We're surprised by this judgement, but have noted it," says vice president Brian Bjordal, who heads the plant. "We'll now take good time to study the reasons for the court's decision before deciding whether we should appeal."