South Sudan oil workers call off planned strike

JUBA, March 12 (Xinhua) -- South Sudan oil workers on Tuesday called off their planned strike over unpaid wages and bonuses.

Gatkuoth Kun Dar, chairperson of trade union of petroleum and mining at the Greater Pioneer Operating Company (GPOC), told Xinhua that the union has suspended the strike, which was scheduled to start on Tuesday, to allow management time to act on their grievances.

"The strike, which was supposed to start today, has been called off pending partners and board of directors meeting on the outstanding issues on March 15-29, 2019," he said in Juba.

The workers are demanding payment of benefits dating back as far as 2013, following agreement reached between the Ministry of Petroleum and joint operating companies (JOCs).

GPOC workers said they have not yet received their two-month salary bonus and allowances as directed last year by Ezekiel Lul Gatkuoth, the minister of petroleum.

The GPOC is made up of four consortia -- Malaysia's Petronas, China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC), India's Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC), and South Sudan's state-owned Nile Petroleum Corporation (Nilepet), operating in blocks 1, 2 and 4 in the Unity oil fields.

Dar said about 600 local workers are employed at GPOC.

Guo Xinwen, president of GPOC, said the workers' grievances will be discussed when the JOC board of directors, which will conven on March 15-29.

The GPOC had overcome huge difficulties and challenges to ensure resumption of production in the northern oil fields, which had been disrupted by a five-year-old conflict prior to the signing last September of a revitalized peace agreement, Guo said.

This would not be impossible without the contribution of GPOC staff, Guo said.

Oil output in South Sudan, at 350,000 barrel per day (bpd) before the outbreak of conflict in December 2013, plummeted below 130,000 bpd during the civil war.

Production has since risen to 170,000 bpd following the signing of the revitalized peace deal between President Salva Kiir and rebel leader Riek Machar. Enditem