Oil workers who are part of the National Association of Energy and Oil Company Workers (Antep) condemned the alleged “misuse of the money that the workers give to the Workers’ Committee”, and that it would be intended for “buying judges”. receive punishments that favor the so-called ‘leaders’.”

According to their complaint, the commission registers directives without legitimacy, which do not represent workers and only seek personal work. These alleged acts of corruption, despite being publicly known, have not received any action or sanction, they said.

In addition, they rejected the central government’s intentions to hand over the Campo Amistad facilities to international natural gas import companies. The government has expressed its willingness to spend $320 million a year for these imports, but says it does not have $173 million over three years to increase agricultural production and generate profits for the country.

These views were expressed through a protest rally held this Monday starting at 11:30, both in Quito and in different offices, fields and facilities of Petroecuador throughout the country.

In Quito, on the streets of Alpallan and Diego de Almagro, several workers were stationed with signs, which also made demands for work.

They complained about, as they described, discrimination by which “for years the company has not respected the rights of colleagues with disabilities, members of the Service for Work Integration (SIL) project.” Despite the established constitutional and legal provisions, almost a hundred workers received lower wages than those shown in Petroecuador’s salary tables, and any possibility of dialogue to solve this problem of social responsibility was closed.

Among other things, the payment of overtime hours and unrecognized vacations, the arrangement of camps in desperate conditions, the termination of contracts for the payment of cleaning and food services that are constantly paralyzed, the comprehensive renovation of the vehicle fleet, the provision of clothing, adequate work space and suitable furniture are demanded.

In the meantime, Antep clarified that the protest will take place during workers’ rest and lunch time.