OSLO, June 20 (Reuters) - The leader of a Norwegian oil workers' union said on Monday a wage deal struck with oil companies "had a lot of good things" and that he hadn't heard negative feedback from members, suggesting it could get approval and strike action would be averted.
Two of three unions that negotiated the agreement earlier this month are seeking approval from their members before they formally endorse it. If they don't, a strike could hit petroleum output.
Norway is Western Europe's largest oil and gas producer.
Audun Ingvartsen, leader of the Lederne union, said he personally thought the offer, which he said gave a pay rise of between 4% and 4.5% and includes extra benefits, had positive elements.
"The deal has a lot of good things," he said in an interview. "Hopefully, our members will say yes, and there will be no strike ... I haven't heard much of negative reaction," he said.
"If it's a big 'No', then we will, of course, have to listen to our members."
The leader of the other union seeking members' approval, Safe, earlier told Reuters she would personally recommend it as it was "good enough".
Neither union is issuing a formal recommendation to members on how to vote, which they have to do by June 30.
The third and final union involved in the talks, Industri Energi, accepted the wage deal without seeking members' go-ahead.
The 4-4.5% wage increase Ingvartsen referred to compares with a hike of 3.7% agreed under a framework agreement between Norway's main employee and employer organisations in April, which sets the benchmark for sector wage talks in Norway.
Since then, inflation in Norway has accelerated, rising to 5.7% in May year-on-year. The statistics agency now expects prices to rise 4.7% in 2022, up from the 3.3% it predicted in March. (Reporting by Nerijus Adomaitis; Editing by Susan Fenton)
