WILLEMSTAD – According to the union representing the refinery employees, The Venezuelan state-owned oil company PdVSA has guaranteed the payment to Isla employees for the year 2019.

The union leaders informed the employees during two meetings about their visit to Venezuela and their talks with PDVSA. The union leaders held discussions with PdVSA executive Manuel Quevedo; Vice President of Refinery at PdVSA Rodolfo Jiménez; Marcos Alejandro Rojas Marchena who is responsible for international affairs at PdVSA; and Guillermo Blanco Acosta, the former Vice President of Refining at PdVSA.

The unions indicated that they did not agree with the way in which PdVSA was informed that the government / Refineria di Kòrsou (RdK) had found a preferential candidate for acquisition of the refinery after 2019. Venezuela had to wait until the negotiations failed, and then the country would be eligible again. The unions leaders said that it is not a way to deal with the company that has managed the refinery for years.

During a meeting with Prime Minister Eugene Rhuggenaath, the trade unions asked whether the government can pay the salaries of the Isla staff if PdVSA had immediately pulled the plug after the RdK had made the announcement about a new operator for the refinery. Rhuggenaath said no and this was the reason why the unions decided to fly to Venezuela and meet with PDVSA representatives.

During that meeting the unions were assured that PdVSA will not abandon the Isla employees in 2019 and will fulfill its payment obligation.