By Nicholas Earl Hundreds of offshore workers will go on strike for ten days between now and the end of the year following an escalating dispute over pay. The industrial action will hit platforms in the North Sea operated by energy giants such as BP and Equinor, and raise further questions over supply security this winter. Contract workers involved in drilling and maintenance will take part in five two-day strikes, after Unite workers rejected a five per cent pay rise. The union considers the offer to be a real terms pay cut, with inflation currently at 9.9 per cent. It will involve workers em…