Total has been hit with further striking action on a number of its platforms in the US North Sea, with a fresh 24-hour walkout starting on Monday morning.

The action from members of the UK’s Unite trade union on the Alwyn, Dunbar and Elgin facilities follows on from two strikes already on the platforms in recent weeks, as workers protest over rotas.

A 24-hour stoppage on 23 July caused production to be shut in on the trio of platforms, with the same result from a 12-hour strike on 30 July.

Unite regional officer Wullie Wallace confirmed to Upstream that all production on the Alwyn, Dunbar and Elgin facilities has been shut in after the strike started at 6am local time on Monday.

The union is due to meet with Total representatives on the issue on Thursday, he added.

Monday’s 24-hour stoppage is expected to be followed by another 12-hour walkout on 13 August.

There is also a continuous ban on overtime, which started in the early hours of 23 July.

Total’s move to change shift patterns comes after it completed the acquisition of Maersk Oil in March.

Staff on the former Maersk assets work different shift rotations to workers on Total’s legacy facilities and the operator wants to introduce a uniform system.

Total's assets operate mostly under two-weeks-on-three-weeks-off (two-three) shift rotations with an additional 14 days worked every year, meaning staff work 161 days per year.

Total wants all facilities to operate under three-week-on-three-week-off (three-three) rotations with holidays, representing 168 days worked per year.

On Alwyn, Elgin and Dunbar, staff voted over Total’s rejection to reduce the number unpaid working days offshore, called “claw-back” days.

Workers agreed to work 14 extra unpaid days to help the company during the industry downturn, Unite's regional officer Wullie Wallace said earlier this summer.

Total has so far refused to return to the old system despite a recovery in oil prices.

In late July, Unite said it was postponing planned industrial action at Total’s Shetland Gas Plant in the by seven days to allow for talks.

A 24-hour stoppage and an overtime ban was due to take place on 23 July after staff voted for action in a dispute over shift rotas and conditions.