NIGERIA Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers, NUPENG,
today begins a nationwide three-day warning strike over, among others things,
perceived unfair labour practices by Shell Petroleum Development Company, SPDC;
Chevron Nigeria Limited and Agip Oil Company
Petroleum Tanker Drivers, PTD, have been directed not to
load products in all fuel depots and tank farms across the country, during the
three days warning strike.NUPENG is also protesting the alleged refusal of
National Association of Road Transport Owners, NARTO, to implement the signed
collective bargaining agreement with PTD, and the sorry state of Nigerian
roads.The union warned that should government and other stakeholders fail to
address its grievances after the three-day warning strike, it would declare an
indefinite strike.Specifically, NUPENG is lamenting alleged worsening unfair
labour practices by SPDC, Chevron and Agip Oil, accusing them of inhuman
treatment of Nigerians through casualisation and outsourcing of workers, among
others.It argued that if the agreements reached with the multinational
companies at a meeting called by the Minister of Labour and Productivity, Chief
Emeka Wogu, in May 2012, was implemented, these issues would have been
redissolved investigation revealed that close to 90 percent of
Nigerians working in the petroleum industry are either contract, casual or
outsourced workers with conditions of work not commensurate with industry
standards and best global practices.These workers remain without job security
terminal benefits, among others, for many years, without conversion to
permanent workers.Contract workers are being handed over to labour outsourcing
companies without receiving terminal benefits.The outsourcing of labour to
contractors exposes workers to possible exploitation and often times these
contractors prevent workers from join the union.It would be recalled that
NUPENG had on June 6, in Lagos, issued a 14-day strike notice to the Federal
Government over disputes with SPDC, Chevron and Agip, threatening a nationwide
strike.The union called on the Federal Government to summon an
all-stakeholders’ national conference on oil and gas to address, among others,
labour issues in the sector before the expiration of the ultimatum or the union
would declare an indefinite nationwide strike.
NUPENG scribe speaks
General Secretary of NUPENG, Isaac Aberare, said the
three-day warning strike, starting today, was to protest unfair labour
practices by oil multinationals namely.
He said: “The strike is also to protest the refusal of NARTO
to implement the signed collective bargaining agreement with the Petroleum
Tanker Drivers and the sorry state of roads across the nation.
“The union calls for understanding from Nigerians, as all
efforts by the Ministry of Labour intervention three weeks ago have failed.”
Agip sacked 93 without benfits, says NUPENG President
President of NUPENG, Achese Igwe, accused Agip Oil of
terminating the appointment of 93 contract workers that had worked with the
firm for between 25 and 35 years, without benefits despite directives by the
Ministry of Labour and Productivity.
He also accused the firm of promoting 96 workers, who have
spent over 15 years as contract workers under NUPENG, to Petroleum and Natural
Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, PENGASSAN, as contract staff, instead
of converting them to full time workers.
Igwe accused Chevron of converting workers from contract
labour to service labour.
He said SPDC refused to have Collective Bargaining
Agreement, CBA, with the workers and also denied them the right to join union,
among others.
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