2.1.2008 11:22 AM

Shell Oil Shocks

Shell Workers Furious Over Company's Record-Breaking Profits

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By Olivia Zaleski

Royal Dutch Shell PLC, Europe's largest oil company, announced its fourth-quarter profits to both cheers and jeers yesterday. According to an article in the Mirror, Shell pulled in profits of 14 billion — the largest profits ever for a British company.

The record number prompted outrage among Shell’s workers, who were told a month ago that the company was planning to outsource as many as 3,000 jobs.

A spokesman for the Shell IT workforce in Aberdeen said workers were "absolutely disgusted" with the firm's profits, as it left the future of thousands of IT workers in the balance. "Frankly that's obscene, particularly when pensioners are struggling to pay their energy bills and motorists choking at the cost of filling up their cars."

Calling oil tycoons "greedy robber barons," workers are demanding a windfall tax on oil companies.

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