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8 February, 2010
On 21 January, ICEM Colombian affiliate Union Sindical Obrera de la Industria del Petrolero (USO) presented demands to management of Schlumberger Surenco, the world's largest oilfield services corporation with operations in approximately 80 countries. The multinational has been operating in Colombia since 2001 with the state-run petroleum company, Ecopetrol, at the Casabe site, near Barrancabermeja, the country’s most important refinery.
Schlumberger has contracts with Ecopetrol at a majority of production sites in Colombia.
The company entered into bargaining with the USO negotiating committee on 3 February. USO will be aiming to improve conditions and salaries for workers at a global oil services company that posted operating revenues in 2008 totaled US$27.16 billion.
The ICEM will continue to monitor these talks, and pledges full support to USO in achieving the best terms and conditions possible.
Elsewhere regarding USO, ICEM General Secretary Manfred Warda last week sent a letter to Colombian President Álvaro Uribe, calling on his government to improve security for trade unionists in Colombia. The letter follows yet another serious attack on USO President Germán Osman. Warda called on both the government and Ecopetrol to do more to guarantee the safety and rights of trade unionists and their families, in light of the continuing attacks by Colombian mafia groups such as the “Águilas Negras,” or Black Eagles.
Colombia has the reputation for being the most dangerous country in the world for trade unionists, with 49 trade union leaders murdered in 2009 and 2,712 since 1986. The ICEM and Warda’s letter in Spanish can be viewed here.
The ICEM has a website dedicated to its work in Colombia, run by Colombia Coordinator Carlos Bustos. View that website here www.icemcolombia.com. Write to Carlos here.