Last week, the Secretary General of the Private Oil Workers Union from Río Negro, Neuquén and La Pampa, Marcelo Rucci, anticipated that the union entity would present the complaint of measure of force before the Subsecretary of Labor of Neuquén. A strike was going to start this Wednesday, but on Tuesday night it was learned that a negotiation with an investor is underway.
At night, Rucci pointed out that the Government of Neuquén “is atbite to the negotiation with an investor interested in taking the concession of the El Sauce deposit and for the purposes of facilitating said negotiation that would lead to a definitive solution of the fellow workers” is that the union this Wednesday “provisionally suspends the planned force measures throughout our area of operation.
The measure of force was due to the specific situation that the 15 workers from the El Sauce areaa conventional block, who to date have received neither wages nor bonuses.
In the presentation it was noted that it was going to be a total strike since 8 o’clock on Wednesday the 19th and the measure had been extended to the entire Neuquén Basin, thus covering the three provinces. But on Tuesday night, it was decided to temporarily suspend the announced measure.
The operating firm of the block is Petroleum Energy Company (ECPSA), although as specified by the union the area is actually concessioned to CGC.
“The El Sauce area is under concession to the company CGC (Compañía General de Combustibles) of the Eurnekian Group, which in turn transferred it to the company ECPSA, which has been operating it for almost two years without having the authorization corresponding by the province “, detailed from the union in the complaint.
The operator would be in a bankruptcy situation and that is why from the union it was marked that The workers “the last time they had income was in May”when they detailed that, in addition, they received only 30% of their salaries.
The strike was not only in the province of Neuquén, where it would hit hard in the developments of Vaca Muerta, but it had spread to the entire basin, thus covering the deposits that are located in Río Negro and La Pampa.