The Daily Journal.- Robert González, a leader of the United Federation of Venezuelan Oil Workers (Futpv), called on Petróleos de Venezuela (PDVSA) on Wednesday to immediately begin negotiations on the sector’s collective bargaining agreement, citing a delay of more than eight years in negotiations over labor benefits.
González made the demand during a sector-wide plenary meeting in Mene Grande, Zulia state, attended by more than 400 union leaders from Zulia, Trujillo and Falcón.
“We need to restore the rights and benefits of the entire oil workforce through the implementation of a new collective bargaining agreement,” González said. He noted that on Oct. 1, the fourth consecutive collective bargaining agreement expires without negotiations.
“That means we are more than eight years behind on social and economic benefits,” he said.
González called for negotiations to resume immediately and criticized the groups participating in the political dialogue process in Caracas, arguing that they are not addressing workers’ labor concerns.
“In that ‘arroz con mango’ they have in Caracas, they are not discussing the problems facing workers and the people,” he said, referring to the dialogue commission that, according to González, includes lawmakers from the current National Assembly and the 2015 National Assembly, the Venezuelan government and representatives linked to the United States.
The union leader also announced plans to mobilize oil workers to Caracas in the coming months, although he did not provide a specific date.
“We are going to mobilize them to Caracas in the coming months,” González said during the meeting in Zulia, where he called on oil industry workers to unite behind their demands.
“Enough of the abuse, enough of the humiliation,” he added.
González also urged workers to maintain union unity regardless of political, partisan or religious differences.
“Workers will never again allow any party, political color or religion to divide us,” he said. “We, the workers, have decided to join forces.”
