Venezuela fires more oil workers

Globeand mail Associated Press

Caracas — The Venezuelan government has fired 828 more employees from the state oil monopoly for participating in a two-month illegal strike aimed at ousting President Hugo Chavez, the company said Thursday.

The latest dismissals brought the total number dismissed to 17,871 — almost half the 38,000-member workforce at Petroleos de Venezuela S.A., a PDVSA spokesman said.

Most PDVSA workers, including management, joined the national strike to demand Chavez's resignation or early elections.

The stoppage paralyzed the world's fifth largest oil industry and cost Venezuela some $6-billion US. But the strike fizzled last month without achieving its goal.

Despite the reduced personnel, the government says it has restored crude oil production to prestrike levels of more than three million barrels a day. Fired executives say output is 2.4 million barrels a day.

Mr. Chavez has rejected pressure from the opposition and foreign governments to reincorporate the fired workers, saying they cannot be trusted to avoid illegal strikes in future. Many also participated in an April, 2002, walkout that helped trigger a short-lived coup.

The government also says it is taking advantage of the strike to reorganize PDVSA, reduce excess bureaucracy and increase government control over the company.

The strike was supported by the country's economic elite and many in the middle class who fear plans by Mr. Chavez to distribute more of Venezuela's wealth among its poor majority.