10 March 2014, News Wires – About 1600 workers in Chad are set to strike after rejecting a pay offer from two Chinese companies.
Media reported that union officials were set to carry out the second strike for the year by workers at Great Wall Drilling, a subsidiary of China National Petroleum, and China National Logging.
Reuters quoted union official Lagmet Harge as saying that the Chinese companies agreed to increase salaries, but only made an offer after a second strike was threatened.
He reportedly added the 2% rise from 2015 was unacceptable.
“That’s why we have decided to strike from Sunday at midnight until Wednesday. The strike is renewable,” he was quoted as saying.
The workers are located at sites in the Bongor basin and the Logone region near the border of Cameroon.
Operations at the country’s 20,000 barrel per day refinery were not impacted.
Reuters said the country’s 120,000 barrel per day outfit was not affected.
Chinese companies have been working in the former French colony, but relations have been less-than-perfect.
– Upstream