7 July, 2016After a five-year campaign, Colombian oil workers’ union USO, has won a major victory as state-owned oil company, Ecopetrol, takes full control of the country’s largest oilfield at Campo Rubiales.
“Our unity, organization and solidarity has helped us achieve our aims of exercising sovereignty, building democracy and strengthening the public sector,” said IndustriALL Global Union affiliate, USO, in a public statement.
Ecopetrol assumed control of operations at Campo Rubiales after the contract with the Canadian company Pacific Exploration & Production was terminated on 30 June. Ecopetrol plans to increase oil production in Colombia, with the drilling of more than 1,000 new wells at the Campo Rubiales oilfield.
At 12am on 1 July, the oilfield’s workers raised their voices in jubilation and the USO mobilized its branches throughout the country. Meanwhile, all notices and emblems of the Canadian multinational company Pacific E&P were replaced by those of Ecopetrol.
The USO celebrated the news and said workers will continue to defend the public sector, strengthen the company and oppose privatization of Ecopetrol, “which we all created and built to promote the country’s sovereignty, the dignity of the working class and justice for the people.”
“In 2011, IndustriALL and other national and international organizations formed the Alliance for the Return of Campo Rubiales to Ecopetrol. We now join them in celebrating this victory and confirm our support for this campaign to defend the country and national sovereignty,” said IndustriALL projects coordinator in Colombia, Carlos Bustos.