Read this article in:
12 August, 2005ICEM News release No. 41/1998
Venezuelan oil and petrochemical workers will go on indefinite strike from next Monday unless the state-run oil company PDVSA stops firing workers and violating the current collective agreement.
The required pre-strike notice has been lodged with the labour ministry. "Unless agreement is reached by Friday, the strike will proceed," said Carlos Ortega, President of the oil and chemical workers' union Fedepetrol. "International support for our campaign will be crucial."
The union says the company has violated no less than 21 points in the collective agreement signed last year. In addition, 1,000 workers have already lost their jobs and up to 10,000 are under threat.
PDVSA has rapidly become a global force in the oil business, with operations in the United States, the Caribbean, Germany, Sweden, Belgium and the UK.
At the global level, the Fedepetrol union is affiliated to the 20-million-strong International Federation of Chemical, Energy, Mine and General Workers’ Unions (ICEM), as are oil unions in the other countries where PDVSA has interests. The ICEM has asked these other unions to exert pressure on the Venezuelans' behalf.
In a fax to PDVSA President Luis E. Giusti, the ICEM urges him to "bargain in good faith" in order to avert a damaging dispute.
The required pre-strike notice has been lodged with the labour ministry. "Unless agreement is reached by Friday, the strike will proceed," said Carlos Ortega, President of the oil and chemical workers' union Fedepetrol. "International support for our campaign will be crucial."
The union says the company has violated no less than 21 points in the collective agreement signed last year. In addition, 1,000 workers have already lost their jobs and up to 10,000 are under threat.
PDVSA has rapidly become a global force in the oil business, with operations in the United States, the Caribbean, Germany, Sweden, Belgium and the UK.
At the global level, the Fedepetrol union is affiliated to the 20-million-strong International Federation of Chemical, Energy, Mine and General Workers’ Unions (ICEM), as are oil unions in the other countries where PDVSA has interests. The ICEM has asked these other unions to exert pressure on the Venezuelans' behalf.
In a fax to PDVSA President Luis E. Giusti, the ICEM urges him to "bargain in good faith" in order to avert a damaging dispute.