Venezuela Oil Unions Plan Strike

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Venezuela Oil Unions Plan Strike By STEVEN GUTKIN, Associated Press Writer

CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) -- Thousands of oil workers will take part in a nationwide strike to protest the state-run petroleum company's failure to come up with an acceptable labor contract, the president of Venezuela's largest oil union said Wednesday.

The conflict boiled over Wednesday when company negotiators didn't show up for talks, union representatives said.

Carlos Ortega, head of the Fedepetrol union, said the strike will start Friday and last for an ''indefinite'' period. He said about 50,000 workers will strike, a number which industry executives believe may be exaggerated.

Venezuela, a founding member of OPEC, has more proven oil reserves than any nation outside the Middle East and is a major supplier of petroleum to the United States.

''We've taken the decision already, the strike is irreversible and for an indefinite period of time,'' Ortega told reporters outside the Capitol building in Caracas.

Company and union leaders were scheduled to sign a preliminary accord to restart negotiations for a new collective labor agreement. The collective contract for oil workers expired in November.

''The oil tankers aren't going to depart'' from the ports, said Ricardo Vargas, president of another oil union, Sintraip.

Venezuelan oil officials say they have contingency plans that would ensure the flow of oil from Venezuela for several days in the event of a strike. After that, the country's oil exports could be affected.

Hector Ciavaldini, president of the state-run oil company Petroleos de Venezuela, called the strike ''illegal'' and said the company ''has been open to dialogue with the workers to resolve any kind of conflict.'' He added that Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has workers' well-being at heart.

Fedepetrol had been threatening for months to strike if talks on the contract did not resume. The government said Tuesday it would restart negotiations, and the unions agreed to its demand to hold new elections for their leadership.

Chavez and other administration officials say most oil industry union leaders are linked to corrupt traditional parties and have not been chosen in democratic elections. Ortega said other union leaders have denied allegations of corruption and charge that Chavez's attacks against them put labor freedoms in jeopardy.

http://www.newsday.com/ap/business/ap618.htm

-- Martin Thompson (mthom1927@aol.com), March 01, 2000


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