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21 October, 2005ICEM News release No. 23/2005 ICEM Supports Mauritanian Union in Strike Against Contractor
The ICEM calls attention to grave injustices involving labour violations that are occurring in the fledging oil and gas sector in Mauritania. Energy and Petroleum Workers Union (CGTM) of Mauritania has been on strike against El Majabaat El Koubra Tours (MKT), a travel, transport and logistics provider to Woodside Petroleum Ltd. of Australia, since 14 October.
The strike is over MKT’s sacking of 16 trade union activists just days after the company signed a protocol agreement with the union that included a first of November date for election of union delegates to the MKT unit of Energy and Petroleum Workers Union. Ten of the 16 workers were set to stand for union elections in that vote. The ICEM is calling for immediate reinstatement of the workers.
The firings are a blatant violation of Mauritania labour law, as well as in violation of ILO Core Conventions 87 and 98, universally accepted labour standards involving Freedom of Association and the Right to Bargain Collectively.
The Energy and Petroleum Workers Union, which is receiving strong support in its quest for justice from its national labour center, the General Confederation of Workers of Mauritania (CGTM), has lodged complaints with the Labour Minister, who has investigated the matter.
He reported to leaders of CGTM and the Energy and Petroleum Workers Union on 18 October that MKT’s response to the inquiry was the Mauritania-based travel company realizes the firings are illegal, but is willing to face the consequences of its action “even if it comes to social unrest.”
“The actions and subsequent attitude of this oil services contractor are appalling, and this is something we will not tolerate,” said ICEM General Secretary Fred Higgs. “We will not stand idly by while a contractor in one of our primary industry sectors blatantly breaks the law and then flaunts it,” added Higgs.
The ICEM has lodged an official complaint with the government of Mauritania over MKT, specifically citing the breach of ILO Conventions. “We call on the unconditional reinstatement of workers abusively dismissed and urge you to use your good offices to have the fundamental labour rights as defined by the ILO respected,” said the ICEM’s letter to the chairman of the military council that is now ruling the west African country.
MKT provides transport and other logistical support to Woodside Energy’s offshore and onshore oil and gas exploration and development in Mauritania. Woodside is the lead company in several separate offshore joint ventures for deepwater drilling off Mauritania in which reserves of 700 million barrels of oil exist. It also has tenders with the Mauritania government to explore onshore blocks of the Taodeni Basin along the border with Mali.
Read the ICEM's letter to the Chairman of the Military Council in Mauritania (In French)
Click here to go directly to the web site of the CGTM in Mauritania (in French): http://www.cgtm.org