Bahrain oil company fires 300 workers over protests

State-run Bahrain Petroleum Co (Bapco) has fired nearly 300 employees for being absent from work when pro-democracy protests paralysed much of the kingdom, the energy minister was reported as saying by the official state news agency. They were absent during "the recent crisis", the Bahrain news agency said. Pro-democracy demonstrations erupted in February and a strike was called in March.
Bahraini firms have fired hundreds of mostly Shia Muslim workers who went on strike to support pro-democracy protesters in what appeared to be part of a government crackdown. Energy Minister Abdul-Hussain bin Ali Mirza was quoted as saying 293 employees had been dismissed, 50 were under investigation and 11 board members from the workers' union had been referred to the general prosecutor. Mirza was not immediately available for comment. Bahrain's unions called for a general strike on March 13 to support Shia protesters against the Sunni-led government, and called it off on March 22.