A labor strike has obstructed the construction of the Colombian Bicentennial Pipeline (OBC) in the eastern Colombian department of Casanare, the newspaper El Espectador reported Thursday.
Forty of the 57 laborers hired for the first stage of project have declared a strike, a union representative announced.
“It’s a peaceful protest against the abuses of a construction company that pays wages below the legal requirements of the oil sector,” the unionist said.
An Italian company, SICIM, is responsible for the construction of the initial stage of the project, which has been promoted by the state oil company Ecopetrol.
The OBC pipeline, with an estimated cost of $4.2 billion, will be the longest line of oil transportation in Colombia.
According to the union representative, the strikers are demanding clarity about employment opportunities and environmental protection for the neighboring communities.
“Our water sources are in danger,” said the unionist, adding the communities around Hato Corozal, where the initial stage of the construction is set to take place, support the strike.
The OBC, which will have the capacity to transport between 450,000 and 600,000 barrels of crude oil per day, is scheduled to be completed next year.