17 December, 2015Cooperation and efforts of the Federation of Somali Trade Unions (FESTU), IndustriALL Global Union and its Norwegian affiliate Industri Energi brought a fantastic result in Somalia. The first union uniting petroleum and gas workers saw the light during the founding national congress on 13-14 December 2015.
Somali Union of Petroleum & Gas Workers (SUPEGW) currently has 1484 members, of whom 539 are female workers. 97 delegates from Southern and Northern regions of Somalia, including 44 women attended the founding congress.
The first elected SUPEGW national president Mohamed Mohamud said, “Now that I have the skills and I am part of a trade union, I feel confident in negotiating better wages and terms and conditions for work. Over the next few weeks and months, we are going to step up the campaign to give workers their voice.”
Mohamud also added, “We came together to organize, promote and defend the socio-economic and political interest of the petroleum and gas workers in Somalia. We shall strive to ensure fair labour practice between workers and management.”
Minister of Somalia petroleum and mineral resources who attended the founding national congress as an observer committed to be working closely with the new union.
Oil and gas sector is of vital importance for Somalia. The country has a huge onshore and offshore oil and gas potential, a number of transnational companies are present in the country including Conoco-Phillips, Shell, British Petroleum, Amoco, Eni, Total and Texaco.
Kemal Özkan, IndustriALL Global Union assistant general secretary said,
The fight for decent working conditions and wages, job security and benefits in oil and gas industry is paramount for Somalia workers. IndustriALL Global Union welcomes the birth of a new force in Somalia trade union movement and will render all possible support to the newly formed Somali Union of Petroleum and Gas Workers.”