Pdvsa, Oil Workers Initial Collective Agreement

Venezuelan state oil firm Pdvsa and oil-sector workers initialed a collective agreement including a wage increase of US$ 6.05 per day, according to members of the committee negotiating the 2007-2009 collective agreement.

"Following 24 hours of negotiations, the agreement was initialed and talks came to an end. From now on, oil workers are to be paid some US$ 20.5 a day," trade union leader Eudis Girot said in a press release.

According to Girot the wage increase is a major achievement, as in the three previous conventions, wages were increased by US$ 1.86 a day and US$ 2.79 a day.

The new collective agreement will be in force for 14 months.