Workers at Canadian Natural Resources' (CNR) Baobab and Espoir oil and gas fields in Ivory Coast launched a 72-hour strike early on Feb. 8 over employment conditions, the head of their union said.

"There's no gas coming from any of CNR's platforms now, and that represents around 30% of Ivorian production," Imrana Konate, secretary-general of the SISPOO union, told Reuters. "We've said it would be 72 hours, but it depends on progress in discussions with the ministry and company."

A CNR representative said the company had no comment to make concerning the strike.

The company's Ivory Coast operations produce around 70 million cubic feet per day of natural gas, which is critical for supplying the West African nation's gas-fired power plants.

It also pumps between 40,000 barrels per day (Mbbl/d) and 45 Mbbl/d of crude, mainly for export.

SISPOO is demanding that CNR integrate contract employees hired via third-party companies into its workforce.