CTV Ortega insists will battle for sacked PDVSA "strikers"

www.vheadline.com Posted: Wednesday, February 05, 2003 - 2:41:31 AM By: Robert Rudnicki

The Confederation of Trade Unions (CTV) has announced that it will do whatever it can for petroleum, merchant marine, petrochemical, educational and other sector employees who have been affected due to their support for the opposition's national work stoppage, which basically came to an end on Monday, with only the petroleum sector continuing to support the action.

Since the strike began over 5,000 Petroleos de Venezuela (PDVSA) employees have been sacked for abandoning their posts and causing severe damage to the petroleum industry, a move which opposition leaders and striking executives claim to be illegal. The government insists that the firings were entirely constitutional, and PDVSA president Ali Rodriguez Araque has warned that more lay-offs will follow unless workers return.

Following a CTV general council meeting, the union grouping's president Carlos Ortega announced that committees would soon be formed to defend the workers' rights and legal action would be taken against PDVSA directors.