The oil union forced a new period of dialogue with the chambers that bring together operators and service companies.

After the surprise general strike announced by the union of Private Oil Workers of Río Negro, Neuquén and La Pampa, this morning, the Ministry of Labor of the Nation issued the mandatory conciliation for the term of 15 working days. In this way, the guild and the chambers that bring together the operators (CEPH) and service companies (CEOPE) must continue with the meetings to reach an agreement.

In the massive assembly that took place this morning in Vaca Muerta, the secretary general of syndicate Private oil workers of the region, Marcelo Rucci, announced a general strike as pressure after the failure in wage negotiations with the business chambers. "This is not fixed if we do not show our strength, we are going to strike from now on," said the head of the guild, Marcelo Rucci, in front of a crowd of oil workers. 

It was the first forceful measure that Rucci launched at the head of the position that is known to be harder to negotiate than his predecessor, Guillermo Pereyra. "Today they boast of record production, export, fracture, drilling, but when is it going to be the record of paying the workers as they have to pay them," said the unionist. He also took aim at oil companies and accused them of "punishing" regional SMEs during the pandemic.

Cut of the provision launched by the national government. 

"We have been talking for a long time about how YPF and the rest of the companies broken all the Neuquén SMEs and that means jobs that fall with their integrated companies have come to destroy employment and the union," he added. 

In detail, in addition to asking that the agreed quotas of salary increases of the coming months be advanced, from the guild they also press for the reopening of this year's parity agreements.

"We are going to Buenos Aires and we find ourselves with dilations, with verses, with lies, with operations, because they want to bend us and this is the demonstration of force that we have to give, this is the demonstration that the oil family is together," Rucci said in a defiant tone. 

 The workers gathered on the usual grounds next to the Shell service station, where assemblies are always held. (Photo: courtesy) 

 Finally, the unionist launched a message for Governor Omar Gutierrez: "Here is a message for the governor, they have the obligation to put themselves at the forefront of the struggle this, but if they do not do it we will do it alone without the need for anyone."

 Hierarchical Tankers 

The union of hierarchical oil workers of the region also held assemblies in the bases that the companies have in Vaca Muerta. "Our union organization has ordered these measures because our claim has been rejected by the business chambers," they said through an official statement from Hierarchical.

RN