50 Percent Sites Begin Work in Oman

The work team formed by the Majlis Ash’shura and led by Salim bin Ali al Ka’abi, Deputy Chairman of the Majlis Ash’shura resumed its tour at a number of oil concession areas. During the tour, the team met with a group of workers who stopped work at oil companies to discuss their return to work, each at theirwork site.

The team had meetings with these groups of workers and discussed with them different aspects related to their demands. The team promised to discuss them with respective officials at the Manpower Ministry, the Oil and Gas Ministry and other respective public and private sectors institutions, as well as civil community’s organisations to place the interest of the state above anything.

The meeting of the work team with the workers continued night till early hours of yesterday. The team tried to convince them of the importance of returning to their work. Ahmed bin Hamoud al Dur’ei, member of the Majlis Ash’shura and member of the work team said that a number of Omani youths returned to their work sites yesterday and many of them started work afternoon. They affirmed their co-operation with the efforts made by the Majlis Ash’shura to solve the current situation. The team explained to them that it is important that this situation should not affect the progress of work at the concession areas or the future career of these workers.

In a statement to Oman News Agency (ONA), he added that the Majlis Ash’shura delegation managed to convince a number of workers who realised the importance of resuming work at different sites while pursuing their demands, which will find attentive ears by the respective public departments and civil community organisations, as well as the companies they are working for to place the nation"s interest above anything. He pointed out that 50 per cent of the work sites yesterday resumed work and that meetings are under way to achieve the prospective aims sought by the Majlis Ash"shura, whose members follow the dialogue with different parties.

Salim bin Ali al Ka"abi, Deputy Chairman of the Majlis Ash"shura accompanied by Salim bin Abdullah al Oufi, Hamoudah bin Mohammed al Harsoosi, Majlis Ash"shura members headed to Marmul area to meet with different group of workers who stopped work to resume dialogue and listen to their demands. The Majlis Ash"shura team met at Fahud area yesterday with Raoul Restucci, Managing Director of Petroleum Development Oman (PDO) and officials at PDO to discuss with them the demands of workers at the oil concession areas. The meeting reviewed all aspects related to stopping of work by some workers at oil companies and means of solving the issue.

PDO is striving to come to a speedy resolution to the industrial dispute with its contracting staff which began last Thursday, working closely with the government, Majlis Ash’shura, Royal Oman Police, contractors and other authorities, the company said in a press statement. Operations at Qarn Alam have started to resume and further talks are taking place at Fahud. PDO Managing Director Raoul Restucci said: “We are striving to resolve this dispute legally and fairly as soon as possible.” Restucci said: “I would like to thank the Majlis Ash’shura for the exhaustive efforts they have made in trying to bring this matter to a successful conclusion and all those who have supported these efforts.”