Gabon oil workers threaten 15-day strike at Total facilities (updated)

TotalEnergies EP Gabon

26/06/2018 18:24

(Adds Total no comment, details)
    LIBREVILLE, June 26 (Reuters) - Gabon's oil workers' union
ONEP plans to launch a 15-day strike at the facilities of French
oil firm Total  TOTF.PA  on Sunday if its demands are not met
for higher pay and other benefits, it said in a letter to Total
Gabon. 
    In the letter dated on Monday and seen by Reuters, ONEP also
demanded new bonuses for employees, increased career advancement
opportunities and a reduction in the number of foreign workers.
    A Total spokeswoman had no immediate comment.  
    The strike would affect all of Total's facilities in Gabon,
including in the capital Libreville and oil hub of Port Gentil.
    The threat of strike action follows the company's failure to
respond to the union's earlier demands made in May, the letter
said. 
    The Central African nation produces about 200,000 barrels
per day (bpd) of crude, according to the U.S. Energy Information
Administration, but output from the OPEC member's ageing fields
has plummeted from a 1997 peak of 370,000 bpd.
    A steep fall in oil prices in 2014 and 2015 choked much
needed revenue and forced companies to layoff thousands of oil
workers. 
    Total produces about 54,000 barrels of oil equivalent per
day in Gabon. 

 (Reporting by Gerauds Wilfried Obangome' additional reporting
by Bate Felix
Writing by Aaron Ross
Editing by Edward McAllister and Edmund Blair)
 ((Aaron.Ross@thomsonreuters.com; +221 77 569 1702;))