1.
GV INT. Vice President Amos Gray addressing meeting.
0.05

2.
SV U. S. Delegate and Ghanaian delegate seated.
0.10

3.
Sv Delegates from right to left, Nigaria, Liberia and Mauritius.
0.14

4.
GV Ugandan delegate seated in front of Senegalese delegate.
0.19

5.
GV Gray continues speaking.
0.22

6.
SV Ivory Coast and Dahomey delegates.
0.27

7.
SV Senegal and Zaire delegates.
0.32

8.
SV IFPCW Assistant General Secretary Mr. Loriaux addressing the meeting.
0.38

9.
SV Zambian delegate listening.
0.43

10.
Sv Ethiopian delegate.
0.46

11.
SV PAN ALONG Kenyan delegates and others.
0.54



Initials VS 17.30 VS 17.40



Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: The problems facing workers in the petroleum and chemical industries of Africa was the main topic of discussion at a Pan-African conference which opened in Nairobi on Monday (1 July).

The meeting is the Second Pan-African Petroleum and Chemical Workers' Conference, bringing together thirty delegates, representing trade unions in Kenya, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Uganda, Ghana, Ethiopia, Nigeria, Gambia, Zambia, the Ivory Coast, Zaire, Mauritius, Senegal and Dahomey.

The conference was opened by the Kenyan Minister for Labour, Mr. Ngala Mwendwa. In his opening speech Mr. mwendwa said that a proper understanding of the economic conditions and problems each country faces is vital for the unions if they are to make "reasonable demands" during negotiations on collective agreements.

One of the Vice-Presidents of the International Federation of Petroleum and Chemical Workers (IFPCW), Mr. Amos Gray spoke at Thursday's (4 July) session. Other IFPCW representatives have also been attending the conference, including the IFPCW Assistant General Secretary, Frantz Loriaux.

SYNOPSIS: Representatives of African workers in the petroleum and chemical industries have been meeting in Nairobi this week to discuss their problem.

The conference was the Second Pan-African Petroleum and Chemical Workers' Conference and it brought together thirty delegates from fourteen African countries.

At this session on Thursday the delegates listened to a speech on the increasing participation of governments in the petroleum and chemical industries and the effect of this on the trade unions. Another topic was the role of multinational corporations.

Education and research were also discussed. Several delegates emphasised the importance of education if unions were to negotiate successfully with the sophisticated multi-national companies which have dominated their industries.