Muscat: Lack of coordination among the warring factions is the main reason for the continuation of strike by the workers of Octal Company, says Nabhan Al Batashi, chairman of the General Federation of Oman Trade Unions (GFOTU).
After two weeks no serious effort is undertaken by the management to resolve the issue, he opines, according to Al Balad News Portal.
This is not the first and it won’t be the last strike as long as the company doesn’t take care of workers and makes false promises to the demands of workers, he added.
About the arbitrary dismissal of the Octal union chief, Faisal Al Masahali, Al Batashi said that union has raised the issue on humanitarian grounds.
An official of the Manpower Ministry has asked the Octal management not to take any action against Octal union’s chief as long as he has a solid evidence for his absentia.
Al Batashi stressed that the Omani workers are more productive, compared to expatriates workers.
Unions are mature in the country and every day is a new experience for many Omani workers, he said.
“I am surprised by the reaction of Omani workers while dealing with the labour union regarding their rights. There has been a great change over the last 30 years as earlier there was no voice for their rights,” says Al Batashi.
He said the union has documented evidence of some companies luring Omani workers and mentioned that Octal has offered OMR170,000 for the chief of the workers union to resign.
Meanwhile, the Octal Petrochemicals Company workers are continuing their strike for almost two consecutive weeks demanding better wages and reinstatement of their union chief, one of the strikers workers told Gulf News.
Workers told Gulf News that they would continue their until their demands are met. They said that they are still in shock over the silence of the authorities concerned towards solving the issue.
