News and AnalysIs for

The most important issue in the USO report this week is an action by Pacific Rubiales transport workers for better pay and working conditions. The National Transport Workers Union (SNTT for its initials in Spanish) wants to recruit more workers to the cause and then pressure the company for meal allowances, housing and education subsidies. Most of the company’s crude is transported by pipeline but it still needs tanker trucks especially for diluents. Other companies would be far more affected if relations with drivers became confrontational. We estimate 61,000bd of crude are transported by truck, just from the department of Meta.