A protracted Omani labour strike at Block 6 fields operated by PDO has been resolved, with workers returning to oilfields operated by Occidental Oman and PDO on Thursday, reports Gulf News.
According to Gulf News’s sources, employees of nine contractors were on strike in Foud oil fields. Four companies in Nimr and in other places were affected by the strike, including Qarn al Alam, where work reportedly resumed on 31 May. The strike was deemed illegal, with most most of the strikers being sacked. The strikes are said to have been attended by a heavy police presence.
Three rights activists were at one stage detained by police for visiting the strikers, including former Oman volleyball player Habiba Al Hinai.
Members of ‘Humanitarian Initiative for Human Rights in Oman’, a newly-formed community body working on human rights issues in Oman, had organised a sit-in opposite the Ministries District in Al Khuwair on Friday, to protest Al Hinai’s detention and show solidarity with oil contractors. As with strike last year, it seems transport workers have spearheaded the unrest.
“Those who have mounted this illegal strike have been blocking the delivery of water and diesel and preventing others from going about their daily business,” said Raoul Restucci, managing director at PDO, last week.
Oil production is reported to have been largely unaffected.
Over a thousand workers – from contractor companies – initially went on strike to demand a basic wage of AED 3,804 a month, plus health coverage, risk compensation and pension rights, after promises given from the last spate of unrest in March came to nothing. By the time the strike was over their numbers had reportedly dwindled to some 400 contractors.
The strike was resolved after intervention of the Oman’s elected Shura Council, where representatives of both sides struck a deal in an emergency session. Gulf News reports that the strikers have been reinstated after signing an undertaking not to breach Omani labour law again.
According to Omanet.com, the Ministry of Information’s website, and the Times of Oman, the letters read:
“I, the undersigned, confess to going on an illegal strike on 27/5/2012, to date. I know that this action has caused significant financial loss to the company and violated security laws and safety, causing significant risk to the work sites.
“I pledge that I will not repeat such behaviour and will stick to the laws of the company and follow company instructions and the directions of officials. In case of my violating the provisions of this undertaking, the company has the right to terminate my services according to the law. This apology is for stopping work and the strike. I confess to my mistake and ask for forgiveness.”
Attorney General Hassan Al Hilal says the strikers’ voices have been heard and that a lawyer has been appointed to represent them, according to the Times of Oman. Discussions with a view to a final settlement are ongoing.
Oman’s Oil and Gas Minister Mohammad Bin Hamad Al Rumhy visited the strikes as part of the mediation process.
After the strike was resolved it was announced that representatives of the General Federation of Labour Unions will sit alongside government and private sector officials in chalking out strategies for training and recruiting Omanis for jobs in each sector, as part of the Sultanate’s Omanisation drive.
