The GAWU’s Oil and Gas Branch has learned that a well-known recruitment agency has found itself in some financial difficulties. Arising from that challenge, the company for some weeks now has not been able to pay its employees on a timely basis. Employees only became aware of the situation after they realized their salaries were not posted to their bank accounts and they approached the agency. Most recently, some workers informed us that company had informed them that their challenges were resolved, and normalcy should prevail. They however indicated that they take such communication with a pinch of salt given their recent experiences.
The challenge confronting the workers is representative of the difficulties workers in the oil and gas sector face. Without a question, the workers ought to be paid for the labour they provided, and the Company’s financial predicament should not be used as a pretext to deny them their earnings. The workers also shared with GAWU that the company they are assigned to undertake tasks also disowned them. They alleged they were told that their salaries were not their responsibility. Such murky relations are contributing to the exploitation of workers in the sector.
Our Union had previously expressed concern about this arm’s length employment relationship. Indeed, the involvement of a third party, in our view, is most harmful to the workers and their rights. This is glaringly seen in this instance. It also serves as an indicator of more significant and more worrying issues that could lie ahead for workers in the sector.
