Pay protest by Bapco workers
WORK at Bahrain's only oil refinery may stop for half an hour next week as workers protest to demand better pay and allowances, it was revealed yesterday.
Bapco Trade Union is seeking a 25 per cent increment on basic salaries, an increase in transport allowances from BD30 to BD60 and a housing allowance of BD120 for all employees, a union member told the GDN.
The protest will be held on October 31, from 6.15am to 6.45am at the Bapco refinery in Askar.
The union says it took on the appeal for these demands after a letter asking for similar increments failed to produce a positive response when it was sent to Bapco president Dr Mustafa Al Sayed earlier this month.
The letter, framed by a 10-member group of workers, was endorsed by 600 employees.
This move also follows reports that Alba approved a pay rise of 20 per cent for all workers starting this month.
The management agreed to the increase following directives from His Majesty King Hamad when he met the chairman and members of the Alba board last month.
The new agreement will cost Alba BD4.6 million.
Prior to the wage increase more than 1,700 workers held an hour's strike, which was claimed to have cost the company $5m (BD1.8m).
"The (Bapco) union took on the case because there was no positive response from the company about the letter," said a union member, who wants to remain anonymous.
"We call for fairness and equality... the management has got increments and allowances and ordinary workers should also have this.
"The trade union and board have been holding daily meetings over the past week to discuss the latest issues.
"They have decided to hold a protest on the first Tuesday after Eid.
"During that time, the trade union will get members to speak to employees and call on them to participate in the protest."
Bapco management yesterday requested a negotiation meeting with the union on Thursday to discuss outstanding issues of wages increases.
"Bapco wishes to emphasise its high level of care for its staff which it considers important for fostering relationship between management and the union," the company said in a statement.
"This will ensure outstanding performance by the employees."
In a separate statement, the union said yesterday the protest would not be held in work hours and would have no impact on Bapco's operation.
Union president Abdulghaffar Abdulhussein called on all employees to continue working hard to improve company productivity.
He said he had been contacted by Labour Ministry Under-Secretary Shaikh Abdulrahman bin Abdulla Al Khalifa about Bapco's pay issues, praising his efforts and keenness to follow workers' cases.
He said that he had also been contacted by Dr Al Sayed, who invited the union to a negotiation meeting to discuss issues over pay.
However, the union president cast doubt over the meeting by stating that most issues had been extensively discussed by the union and the management at previous meetings.
Gulf Daily News, 23 October 2006