Plans by Mexican state oil company Petroleos Mexicanos (Pemex) to cut jobs at its six refineries through attrition this year could undermine safety at the plants, an internal company document shows.
“This situation leaves the refineries vulnerable because it puts the operational continuity and maintenance of facilities at risk,” according to the document, written by one Pemex executive to a superior warning about the unfilled jobs.
Pemex plans to leave 9,374 vacancies at its refineries unfilled this year, 50 percent greater than its unfilled refinery positions last year, the document by refining unit Pemex TRI shows.
Most unionized jobs at the politically sensitive company cannot be easily eliminated nor filled by workers who are not members of Mexico’s powerful oil workers union.
While the union is allowed to insist the jobs be filled with its members, Pemex ultimately decides whether they will be filled at all.
There were 22,472 unionized and 1,297 non-unionized workers at Pemex’s refineries, according to a document dated November 2020. For more information visit www.pemex.com
