Norwegian offshore workers have extended their strike to additional 19 offshore units after the strike started last week on nine offshore rigs and platforms over pay disagreement.

In a statement on Monday, the Norwegian Shipowners' Association, representing rig owners, said some 1600 workers, represented by SAFE union, were on strike.

Jakob Korsgaard, Managing Director of the Norwegian Shipowners' Association and Managing Director of Maersk Drilling Norway said: “With the current escalation of the strike on the Norwegian continental shelf, the SAFE employee organization shows no understanding of the economic realities on the Norwegian continental shelf.”

Korsgaard said it was completely incomprehensible that SAFE is willing to put jobs, the Norwegian continental shelf's attractiveness and competitiveness, and Norway's reputation as a safe and stable supplier of oil and gas resources at stake.

Nearly 1,600 rig workers are on strike across 28 offshore installations in Norway. Shell last week closed the Knarr field a consequence of the strike.

Workers on strike are employees of Transocean, Island Offshore, KCA Deutag, Odfjell Drilling, Songa Offshore, Archer, COSL, Teekay, North Atlantic Drilling, Saipem, Floatel, Sodexo, ESS.