Muscat: A team of Manpower Ministry and members of Oman’s Trade Union Federation have found nearly 50 labour law violations as well irregularity in safety norms during an inspection visit to Petroleum Development Oman’s (PDO) installation in Fahud, according to a press release issued by the ministry.
“During our two-day inspection visit to nine companies contracted by the PDO we found 50 violations with some companies repeating the violations despite earlier warnings,” Nabhan Bin Ahmad Al Battashi, deputy chairman of the Trade Union Federation in Oman, said in a statement released by the ministry.
He said that the joint team of the Trade Union and Manpower Ministry officials visited MB Holding Company LLC, Halliburton, Oman Engineering and Technical Services, Middle East Company for Services and Drilling, Al Ghalbi International, Tawoos Industrial Services, Attila Dogan Group of Companies, and Dalma Energy.
He did not specify which of the nine companies, which the team visited, had violated the labour laws or safety regulations but said that the guilty companies have been issued with the violation notices and would be referred to the Public Prosecution.
Al Battashi said that settlement was reached on the spot in some cases of labour law disputes between the concerned company management and the workers.
The senior Trade Union office bearer put the responsibility for safety irregularity and labour law violations on PDO. “They [PDO] contract these companies for work and then do not monitor them properly,” he said, adding that these companies’ work ethics pose a direct threat to the safety of workers at the site.
“Some of the sub-contractors have not given annual leave to workers for over six years,” he said while pointing out the violation of labour law provisions.
“Not allowing workers to go on annual leave for six years is a serious crime and the owner of these companies should be prosecuted for criminal neglect,” the Trade Union vice-chairman believes.
Al Battashi also said that some of the workers complained that they were threatened with dismissal if they demanded annual leave or any increment in salaries. Under the Labour Laws it is mandatory for all companies to give 3 per cent annual salary increment to employees unless their appraisal is negative.
