08 February 2017, Abidjan — Workers at Canadian Natural Resources’ (CNR) Baobab and Espoir oil and gas fields in Ivory Coast launched a 72-hour strike early on Wednesday over employment conditions, the head of their union said.
“There’s no gas coming from any of CNR’s platforms now, and that represents around 30 percent of Ivorian production,” Imrana Konate, secretary-general of the SISPOO union, told Reuters. “We’ve said it would be 72 hours, but it depends on progress in discussions with the ministry and company.”
CNR company officials were not reachable for immediate comment.
The company’s Ivory Coast operations produce around 70 million cubic feet of natural gas per day, which is critical for supplying the West African nation’s gas-fired power plants.
It also pumps between 40,000 and 45,000 barrels per day of crude, mainly for export.
SISPOO is demanding that CNR integrate contract employees hired via third-party companies into its workforce.
*Joe Bavier; editing by Louise Heavens and Jason Neely – Reuters
