Trade unions await fund for out-of-job workers in Oman

Energy Saturday 01/October/2016 05:22 AM
By: Times News Service
Trade unions await fund for out-of-job workers in Oman

Muscat: Trade unionists are still waiting to hear from the government about their Security Fund proposal as 200 more Omani workers have lost their jobs during the past few weeks in the oil and gas sector.
In the beginning of this year, the Chairman of the General Federation of Trade Unions in Oman (GFOTU), had met officials from the Public Authority of Social Insurance, to discuss setting up of the Security Fund to help Omani private sector employees who lose their jobs.
However, the trade unionists are still waiting hopefully to hear from the government. “We are waiting to hear from the government. It may come into action very soon,” Nabhan Al Battashi, chairman of GFOTU, told the Times of Oman.
The Security Fund proposal suggests that employees registered under the social security records, who lose their jobs due to cost-cutting or non-renewal of contract upon its completion, can be financed up to 75 per cent of their salary for six months from the fund, from the day they
are jobless.
“Many are struggling and their condition is worsening day by day,” Mohammed Al Farji, a board member of GFOTU, said, adding that such funds exist everywhere in the world and it’s time to implement it in the Sultanate now.
200 workers sacked
Meanwhile, Saud Salmi, chairman of the Oil and Gas Sector Workers Union in Oman, said at least 200 workers have been sacked during the past few weeks.
“Termination of workers is again happening. It is on the rise. Around 200 workers have lost their jobs at three companies. Government should consider the Security Fund proposal seriously,” Salmi added.
According to the trade unionists, the government and companies should finance the Security Fund instead of the employees themselves and support the employees who are sacked illegally or legally or even if an employee loses job because the contract has ended.
Over 1,600 Omanis lost their jobs in 2015-end as contracting companies cited the slump in oil prices for revenue losses.
In 2015, Oman’s trade union in the oil and gas sector had announced a strike; however, they called it off as they received substantial assurances from negotiators in the sector.