Two unions publicly rejected the draft labor agreement signed by striking oil workers in Colombia’s eastern Meta department and the petroleum company Pacific Rubiales, W Radio reported Tuesday.
The Sindical Obrera Union (USO) and the United Workers Central (CUT) jointly spoke out against the deal, which stipulated the laborers’ return to the job in return for certain labor concessions.
Pacific Rubiales agreed to hire all unskilled laborers from the Puerto Gaitan region, build 3,000 affordable housing units, and donate $1 million to a local hospital, but union leaders said the concessions do not adequately address the needs of the poor community.
“Even though it is own of the main centers of oil production in the country, it has alarming rates of social inequality,” said a public statement signed by the USO and CUT presidents.
The union leaders demanded that the government and Pacific Rubiales “resolve the deplorable social and labor situation” in the Rubiales and Quifa oil fields.
Meanwhile, according to Caracol Radio, 500 peaceful protesters arrived in Puerto Gaitan from Bogota Monday night to continue the protest for better labor rights and to also publicly condemn the agreement.
At 9AM Tuesday, Pacific Rubiales arranged a national forum with demonstrators to hear grievances and discuss possible changes to the agreement.
The workers temporarily halted production last month when they staged protests, demanding better wages and working conditions.