Oil strike is aimed at humiliating Chavez.(petroleum industry in Venezuela; Pres Hugo Chavez)(Brief Article)

CARACAS -- Oil workers walked off the job Wednesday at the start of a 48-hour strike intended to press the government to give them a 15% pay raise granted to other state employees. They are threatening to extend the stoppage indefinitely if the government fails to meet their demands.

From a legal point of view, the unions have a very weak case as they are covered under a separate collective contract and already are among the best paid workers in the country. However, the strike is at least as much about September's nationwide union elections as pay complaints.

Union is ...

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