MUSCAT: Oman Society for Petroleum Services (OPAL) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with SASLO Legal Training Centre (SLTC) delivering labour law workshops for OPAL members over a two-year period. It was signed by Fathy al Mendhry, Interim CEO of OPAL, and Antony Isaac, Executive Director of SLTC, in the presence of Said al Shahry, founder chairman of SLTC.
“The MoU is part of OPAL’s plan to create awareness among its member companies on the understanding of the labour law and practical challenges faced by the oil and gas sector because of the special nature of operations,” said Fathy al Mendhry during the signing ceremony.
Said al Shahry said that SLTC and OPAL have been working together in conducting awareness workshops on labour law and recently concluded a labour forum focusing on the oil and gas sector, which brought together all stakeholders such as employers, employees, trade unions and regulators, apart from OPAL.
The MoU formalises the ongoing relationship and we think that joint events like the labour forum, which was very well attended, will be instrumental in creating better understanding among all stakeholders, which in turn will result in creating a better work environment and enhance performance. We are happy to cooperate with OPAL and we are confident that the two organisations can contribute positively to the country’s national objectives, he added.
Musallam al Shahry, the Client Relations Manager of SLTC, highlighted that the MoU envisages holding four workshops on labour law every year, including a special programme for HR and Finance professionals. Two experimental workshops were held during the last six months to test the learning outcomes of OPAL members.
The feedback received was overwhelming and it was felt that the combined initiative should be sustained for the industry. One of the workshops will be specifically designed for top managers on current court cases which will have a bearing on issues faced by the industry, he added.
“As both organisations have common objectives and are committed to disseminating knowledge, the MoU is a step in the right direction,” added Said al Shahry.
The two organisations are considering cooperation in the area of research on industry best practices internationally and their impact in the local context from a legal perspective, he added.
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