PDVSA: Set to hire workers from nationalised oil services companies
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PDVSA set to hire workers
Venezuela state-owned PDVSA will hire all 8000 workers from the more than 70 oil service contractors that the government nationalised last month, President Hugo Chavez said.
The president made his pledge after union leaders said Wednesday that at least 5000 people employed by the contractors would be left off PDVSA’s payroll.
Since 8 May, when the government took over 76 oil services companies working in the Lake Maracaibo region of the western state of Zulia, 668 workers have been transferred to the PDVSA payroll, Chavez said.
“Between Monday and Tuesday of next week, 600 more (workers) will be absorbed (into PDVSA) and, going forward, 1000 workers (weekly), until reaching the 8000 who had been outsourced, slaves,” Chavez said.
The workers joining PDVSA will enjoy “social security and dignified jobs, so they can help build socialism,” the president said.
The “oligarchy” was behind reports that PDVSA would leave the majority of workers employed by contractors without jobs, Chavez said, adding that his administration would actively fight such opposition campaigns, said a report by EFE news agency.
Union official Rafael Zambrano said Wednesday that information obtained by his organisation showed that “only 2500 workers” from the nationalised companies in the Lake Maracaibo region would be added to the PDVSA payroll.
Since last week, oil workers have gathered on the Lake Maracaibo piers to protest the nationalisation of the oil services companies operating in the region.
The nationalisation of mostly small companies that provide services to Venezuela’s oil industry was approved in a law signed by Chavez on 7 May.
The assets seized by the government in the Lake Maracaibo region include some 300 boats, 30 tugboats, 30 barges, 39 terminals and docks, five floating drydocks and 13 workshops, PDVSA said.
PDVSA has been locked in disputes in recent months with private domestic and foreign companies over the fees charged for oil industry services.
PDVSA, which owed billions to suppliers and contractors last year, contends the fees are exorbitant now that oil prices have plunged amid the global financial crisis.
The state-owned company’s refusal to pay its bills has led several of the private companies to stop work in Venezuela.
The new joint venture arrangement granted PDVSA an average stake of 78.3% in operations in the Orinoco Belt, which accounts for production of close to 600,000 barrels per day of crude.