PEMEX Labor Union Votes to Keep Collective Agreement

The Labor Union of Petroleum Workers of the Mexican Republic (STPRM) legitimized its collective agreement (CCT), which offers benefits like a 60-day salary bonus and access to economic support. The union was obliged to open the CCT for consultation as stipulated by the 2019 Labor Reform.

On January 31, STPRM’s new leader, Luis Ricardo Aldana Prieto, was elected, making him responsible of presenting the agreement to the union’s affiliated workers to ensure that they were in favor of the clauses. Ninety-five percent of the union endorsed the CCT, which grants vacations between 21 and 30 days, with a vacation bonus equivalent to 207 percent of monthly wages and a series of first-class benefits. The number of workers with a permanent position and affiliation to the union that can vote stand at 78,078 people, as 64,317 participated. Of these people, the vast majority of 61,027 endorsed the agreement. More than 3,000, five percent of the voters, rejected it.

"Each and all oil workers were able to vote for the legitimation of our collective contract. The legitimation procedures are carried out to guarantee that the workers know the content of their CCTs and have the option of endorsing or rejecting them," highlighted the Federal Center for Conciliation and Labor Registration (CFCRL).

This is the second procedure that the STPRM carries out with the support of the Ministry of Labor and Social Welfare (STPS). The consultation was carried out through the Sirvolab Platform, created by the STPS for the union to use. This was the first time a CCT legitimation procedure received electronic votes, after the system was used successfully for the union’s leadership election. The labor ministry aims to replicate the mechanism for other union voting processes.

President López Obrador said that oil workers are entering an era of union organization, in which full compliance with labor agreements will become the standard. As part of the CCT benefits, PEMEX personnel received a salary increase of 5.16 percent. Additionally, the collective agreement contains benefits and protections for the entire workforce. For example, employees who perform work at heights and in extreme temperatures or are exposed to noxious gases and vapors will receive double their previous salary.