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Gold/Mining/Energy : Strictly: Drilling and oil-field services -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Thean who wrote (14102)	3/8/1998 5:35:00 PM
From: david james	Respond to of 95453

And maybe some good news if this actually expanded tomorrow. Now if Saudi Arabia contributed to the labor union fund to support these striking workers ...... Could it be that the voodoo dolls are taking effect? biz.yahoo.com CARACAS, March 4 (Reuters) - Venezuela's oil and petrochemical workers threatened Wednesday to join a proposed strike by Venezuelan oil tanker crews without filing an official notice with the Labor Ministry, union leaders said. They said a formal strike petition would neverthless be issued to the Ministry next week, as required under Venezuelan law. ''The decision has been approved by the National Central Committee,'' Carlos Ortega, president of leading oil union Fedepetrol, told Reuters. Ortega on Tuesday filed an indefinite strike petition with the Labor Ministry on behalf of tanker crews, employed by PDV Marina, a subsidiary of state oil company Petroleos de Venezuela (PDVSA). The petition allows for 120 hours of last minute talks before a strike can legally be staged. ''The 120 hours are ticking. If we go on strike with PDV Marina, the whole industry will stop, with or without a strike petition,'' Bladimiro Blanco, Fedepetrol spokesman said. When asked whether the action would be legal without a petition, Blanco said he did not know, but added the issue would be discussed at another meeting of the executive committee on Monday. The tanker crews are threatening a strike action to increase their salaries, while the rest of the oil workers are protesting what they say is PDVSA's non-compliance with already-agreed employment contracts. A Venezuelan shipping agent said Tuesday a strike by the 420 seamen at PDV Marina, which could affect 16 oil tankers, would have no impact on oil exports because the Venezuelan-flagged ships are used only to redistribute oil around the domestic refining system. Fedepetrol and its sister union Fetrahidrocarburos periodically use the threat of strikes and temporary work stoppages to force PDVSA's hand in wage negotiations. But recent labor actions have had no effect on production as the company has contingency plans to replace striking workers.