The national staff of Dar Petroleum Operating Company say they will continue with their industrial action unless their demands for arrears and better working conditions are addressed.

In a letter dated June 12, the staff tells the acting president of DPOC that they are going on a three-day sit-in strike.

They laid down their tools both at the headquarters in Juba and at the oil fields from June 14 to June 17, 2021.

They mainly operate at the oil fields of Block 3 and 7 in Upper Nile State.

The local employees are protesting unpaid benefits dating back to 2012, and the implementation of a new human resource policy.

It’s now been three days and the staff say their grievances have not been addressed.

“We are requesting the top management of DPOC to implement this policy and there is no any other way to negotiate on the implementation of the police until our demands are meet,” said Dr. Ater Amos Riak, secretary-general of the Workers Union of Petroleum and Mining in South Sudan and also a member of DPOC national staff who are on strike.

The Dar Petroleum Operating Company, DPOC – a consortium of China National Petroleum Corporation, South Sudan-owned Nile Petroleum Corporation, Malaysia’s PETRONAS, Sinopec, and Tri-Ocean Energy.

In a follow-up statement issued on Tuesdau, the national staff say they are being threatened by the company to resume work.

They maintained that the strike will continue regardless of the intimidations against some of their colleagues.

Meanwhile, the minister of presidential affairs, who is also the chairperson of Nile Petroleum Corporation, urged the national staff to call off their strike.

Dr. Barnaba Marial Benjamin says the government is working with partners to address the matter.

“We are asking our national staff that, in fact, the issue of salaries between the national and foreigner elements in the country has been discussed and it is being discussed adequately,” he told the state-run SSBC television after meeting with the Director of Nilepet.