Mexican oil union hints at strike on safety concerns

Mexico's oil workers union (STPRM) called on state-owned Pemex to resolve serious operational, safety and security concerns.

"We demand our concerns are resolved without delay … the company finds itself in serious problems … that are causing great concern to our workers," states a letter from the union, dated 20 August and addressed to Pemex director Octavio Romero.

The union listed a series of complaints ranging from health and safety concerns that "represent the possibility of imminent shut-downs," a lack of maintenance and supplies across the refining, E&P, petrochemical and gas processing businesses as well as insufficient refined products to power machines.

The union urged Pemex to comply with the conditions under its collective labor contract and find solutions to the "frequent aggressions suffered by workers in oil fields, pipelines and offshore platforms by organized crime."

Pemex workers are being increasingly targeted in robberies of offshore platforms as well as kidnapped and extorted for information surrounding refined fuels operations amid the government crackdown on fuel theft.

Pemex workers, particularly those working offshore, have been some of the worst affected by the Covid-19 pandemic, with 307 deaths reported.

The union represents more than 100,000 employees at Pemex.

By Rebecca Conan