Oil and Gas Workers Union threatens to shut down ports

The General Union of Oil and Gas Workers has threatened to go on strike, shutting down ports in Libya in protest of the Government of National Unity’s failure to meet its demands.

The union’s demands include a pay increase, activation of medical insurance and health care, and exemption from income tax, reports Alwasat.

The union says that it held various meetings with the government and sent many correspondences but nothing came of it. In a statement, the union says “the workers in the oil and gas sector during the previous period served the higher national interest.

“We hold the Government of National Unity fully responsible if the demands of workers in the sector are not met, and that the decision to reduce production or close oil export ports has become the option available to workers in the oil sector.

“With reference to the issuance of Cabinet Resolution No. 642 of (2013) to increase the salaries of the oil sector, and since we have seen the recent statements of the Prime Minister to activate recent laws and decisions issued in 2017 concerning some ministries, no effort was made for the oil and gas sector and this has angered workers of all segments and levels, who have proven their efficiency and ability to stabilise work and the production.”

Oil and gas workers were ‘angered’ by the lack of increase in salaries, and felt frustrated given that recently they have ‘proven their efficiency and ability to stabilize work and the production.’

The statement concludes: “As representatives of workers in the oil and gas sector, we will have to take the necessary measures to obtain our rights and activate the decision, taking into account the steps taken by other ministries to collect their rights in a manner that does not contradict the law and legislation in force.”