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Oil industry workers also experience their own uncertainty due to the variability in the prices of ‘black gold’. They predict a “labor massacre”.
The fall in oil prices and economic uncertainty on behalf of the covid-19 has the oil industry workforce concerned. For some, even, the situation glimpses a “labor massacre”.
For yesterday, prices continued to recover after the strong collapse registered at the beginning of the week, Brent oil, the benchmark for Colombia, gained 6.77% and was at $ 21.75 per barrel; while the WTI advanced 23.37% to $ 17 per barrel.
The industry agreed in recent days to begin to decrease its production level to regain the balance in prices, while hundreds of workers are not very positive about what this crisis will bring them.
Although the National Government has established measures to prevent thousands of Colombians from being laid off, for some unions in the sector, the rules have been ignored.
“We have more than 12,000 workers nationwide who have terminated their contract and are not renewed, and in the case of the Department of Huila it amounts to more than 500 people who have been suspended,” said José Marín Moreno, treasurer of the national board of directors of the Union Sindical Obrera de la Industria de Petróleo, (Uso).
According to what he said, the contracting companies have not respected the resolutions and decrees issued by the National Government, which seek to protect the employment of citizens at a time when most companies are going through a bitter moment of liquidity.
“Ecopetrol, unilaterally, meets virtually with contractor companies and makes the decision to suspend works contracts, projects and service orders, directly forcing companies to dispense with the services of workers. Many of these companies do not have economic muscle, they have raised this for us, that they cannot sustain at least the minimum wage. They have been giving a number of violations, they have been sent on vacation without giving them the money, with unpaid licenses, or they are given rest days ”.
Among those affected, according to Moreno, are mothers and fathers head of household and people about to retire.
The aggravating
The situation aggravates the complex panorama experienced by the employees of the oil industry in Huila in the face of Ecopetrol’s alleged departure from the territory. The unionist recalled, “22 oil fields are being planned to be delivered to the Hocol subsidiary, which does not operate but subcontracts, that has another effect. Once the pandemic is over, we will have problems because the company that arrives will reduce the payroll; There were 900 workers in the department, but if the fields were delivered, there would be approximately 350. El Huila and the companies in the region would also lose. ”
For its part, Ecopetrol had already stated that, in relation to some information related to the possible change of operator of the oil fields, the company continues to lead the 21 fields located in the municipalities of Yaguará, Aipe, Neiva, Palermo and Villavieja ; while Hocol maintains its operation in the La Hocha and La Cañada fields located in the municipalities of Tesalia and Paicol.
“At the moment there is no change in relation to the operation of these assets,” he had indicated.
“The Ecopetrol Group continuously analyzes scenarios and alternatives that allow it to improve processes and strengthen synergies within the organization, with the aim of obtaining greater efficiencies, improving the profitability of its assets and generating sustainable growth in its operations inside and outside the country, and in the environments where it operates. If any changes are made to the current operating scheme, the Company will inform all stakeholders in the region in a timely manner, “he said.
