Fuel scarcity looms, as NUPENG gives two-week strike notice

Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) on Wednesday issued a seven-day strike notice to the Federal Government to compel Chevron Nigeria Limited (CNL) to honour the agreement it reached with the union on June 20.

The union further threatened to embark on strike should the government fail to intervene.

In a statement signed by the President and General Secretary of NUPENG, Prince Williams Akporeha and Afolabi Olawale, the union accused the oil company of violating agreement reached with the unions in the industry.

It said, “It is public knowledge that unions in the oil and gas industry had a protracted negotiation with Chevron Nigeria Limited over 70 per cent labour manpower reduction which it (Chevron) claimed was required in view of reduction in their operations in the oil and gas Industry.

“After up to one year negotiation, brokered by Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC; National Petroleum Investment Management Services, NAPIMS, and Ministry of Labour, it was agreed that considering the intervention of all the institutions mentioned above and the various justifications made, only 30 per centof the Labour Manpower Contract Workers will be relieved”.

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The union explained that of the 1,856 contract workers in the company, NUPENG had 1,120; PENGASSAN, 213; and non-unionised, 523 while it was agreed that the 30% reduction shall be spread in equal percentage among the three groups.

‘’It was also agreed that anyone that voluntarily offers to go will be counted as part of the agreed 30%.

‘’It is further embarrassing to see that NUPENG executives are also part of those already locked out.

“Having been pushed to the wall, NUPENG, hereby, puts all our members on red alert should Chevron Nigeria Limited and its contractors fail to honour or comply with our demands within the next seven days, we would also not hesitate to take all necessary legal options available to us, including industrial actions, to press home our legitimate demands.”

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