Worley Parsons downsizing its personnel

By Saule Tasboulatova

The editorial office has received the letter from employees of Worley Parsons Kazakhstan -oilfield services company, where they informed about downsizing of local staff.

In their response to our inquiry the company management admits the facts of dismissals, however they call it differently.

"To our question about dismissals they respond: "we don't dismiss. We simply don't extend contracts", – reads the letter of employees of the company. – The list of people with whom contracts will not be extended has been submitted to human resources department".

As employees write, the initiator of local staff dismissals is expat manager, who allegedly initiated it "because of personal hostility" (his surname and position has been specified in the letter. – S. T.) and has been working in the company since 2013. According to employees, he returned all expats whose visas has been suspended and did it through other recruiting companies. Also employees question the legality of the position that he has been holding for one year and a half since the moment of his arrival.

The editorial office sent an inquiry and addressed it to Worley Parsons Kazakhstan LLP CEO - Talgat Imangaliev with the request to comment on the letter that the editorial office received. Below is the response that was signed by Imangaliev: "Similar to other companies that carry out the activity in our industry in the Republic of Kazakhstan and abroad we observe the decrease in the scope of work, caused by reduction of capital investments by our clients, delay and suspension of projects, and in certain cases their complete termination. If to view the issue in a wider context, then Worley Parsons over the past few years has reduced the number of its personnel worldwide by 11 000 people, out of that number about 4 000 people have been reduced in the last 12 months. The overall decrease of design and project activities has immensely impacted all our activities and, unfortunately, the Republic of Kazakhstan has not avoided this process.

We would like to note that the procedure of dismissal or reduction of number of workers has certain differences compared to termination of fixed-term employment contract connected with expiration of the term, and these differences should be appropriately considered. Our Company observes all requirements of labor legislation regarding employment contracts with our employees. We confirm that we concluded the Memorandum of Understanding with local agencies, and the Company satisfies all conditions of this contract. We also confirm that since January, 2015 the employment contracts have not been extended with 11 local employees and 63 expats due to expiration of employment contract. In some cases the failure to extend employment contracts can be connected with results of employees' performance during the period of contract, in other cases it occurs due to change of scope of work. We never dismiss employees without any grounds and we transfer employees to a new place of work inside the company if there is such opportunity".

As for actions of the expat manager, CEO's response states the following (quote): "We would pay your attention that in view of the need to observe confidentiality and requirements of the Law on protection of personal information, we can't give you extended answer to the questions concerning Mr. …".