Hundreds of Bapco staff and their families staged a protest outside the company's refinery in Ma'ameer yesterday.

They demonstrated for more than an hour at the north gate, holding banners and placards calling for the government to intervene to solve their problems and also revamp the senior management.

The protest was spearheaded by the Trade Union of Bapco Employees, which has issued a list of 52 demands, including pay rises for staff and automatic retirement for those aged 60.

Petrol division operations officer Sayed Maki Saeed claimed workers were being kept in the dark about the company's future plans.

'We fear for our livelihoods, we fear we will be sacked and an expatriate will take our place,' he said.

Saeed said annual pay raises among employees were not equal, with some getting only BD8 and others BD30. 'Some of us are at the same level. However we get different yearly raise, it doesn't make sense,' he said.

Saeed, who has worked for Bapco for 13 years, said he was worried about not being able to support his family given the uncertainty surrounding the company.

'I have three children and I'm the only provider in the household,' he said.

'I deserve to know what the company is planning to do to us to plan my children's future.'

Fellow protester and refinery operations officer Jameel Al Asfoor claimed his job, which consists of climbing the 180-metre refinery steps at least four times a day, was full of risk.

'However, the company does not pay for an allowance in case something happens to me during working hours,' said the 52-year-old.

'I can one day be performing my duties and could fall and would not be able to support my family.'

Meanwhile, General Federation for Bahrain Trade Unions (GFBTU) secretary-general Sayed Salman Al Mahfoodh said officials failed to rule out strike action if matters were not resolved.

'Striking is on the cards for the employees if the management or the National Oil and Gas Authority (Noga) do not show any co-operation,' he told the GDN.

The Bapco union called on its members to refuse any redundancy offers or transfers to other divisions without checking with them first.

'The union refuses the sacking of national labour on the excuse of improving and developing and demand projects that accommodate those labourers,' it said.

Speaking after the protest Bapco human resources and administration acting general manager Mohammed Moradi stressed that meetings between the union and management were continuing.

'Discussions are being held to resolve the matter and get things cleared,' he said.

Company officials also said speculation that workers could lose their jobs was 'untrue'.

Moradi earlier claimed the company was known for its positive relationship with its workforce.

He also argued that it was unrealistic to issue demands for immediate changes, saying any shift in policy must first be discussed.

However, he added it was not always possible to meet such demands because of other factors, such as budgets.

Meanwhile, Al Mahfoodh confirmed that Bapco's board of directors has approved a bonus equivalent to one month's salary for last year. The bonus is likely to be distributed tomorrow.

Bapco union deputy chairman Mohammed Dulabi earlier claimed the decision to protest had been taken due to an alleged lack of co-operation from Bapco management.

The protest is the latest of a series of demonstrations, including one held outside the office of the Noga and Oil and Gas Affairs Minister Dr Abdulhussain Mirza on Thursday.-TradeArabia News Service