The Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) would begin a three-day nationwide warning strike by January 9, 2017, to protest the anti-labour practice of International Oil Companies (IOCs).
The South-West chairman of the union, Alhaji Tokunbo, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos that the warning strike became inevitable “because all other options had failed.”
“We are not gaining anything by going on strike because it is not a joyful thing; but as a union, we have to protect and fight for the welfare of our members.
“We have sensitised the public and also sought the intervention of the Federal Government over the anti-labour activities of the IOCs on our members, but we are not getting results.
“Our members who put in their best within the duration of time they worked were not paid their severance packages by their employers when they sacked them.
“This is a big slap and it will not be allowed,” Korodo said.
“What they are practising here in Nigeria, cannot obtain in their countries; that is why we say enough is enough.
“We will take the bull by the horn,’’ he added.
The chairman said what led to the planned warning strike was inherited by the present administration, while some occurred within the same government.
“Two hundred and fifty members of our union were affected by the divestment by Chevron Nigeria Ltd, in the South-East.
“And this is giving us a serious concern because they cannot feed their families.
“The Minister of Labour, Senator Chris Ngige asked all parties to maintain the status-quo ante and we complied because we respect the authority.
“But, the IOCs seem to be above the law or more powerful than the government; they failed to maintain the status-quo ante amicably agreed to both parties.
“Chevron had to tell our 250 members that their contract were no more binding on it because it cannot trace the company that employed them as contract workers for it.
“The minister said Chevron had to pay the sacked workers, but its management refused to comply.
“It got to a time when Ngige called for a meeting in Abuja to mediate; at times, its representatives would not show up.
“We would risk our lives and resources to Abuja but no IOCs member would come.
“Even when their representatives came, they would be those without a mandate to represent the organization, just to frustrate the discussion,’’ he said.
He alleged that all other IOCs in the country were involved in these anti-labour practices.
“We do not want the public to see the strike as we are unnecessarily punishing Nigerians.
“That’s why we are using this period to protest by asking tanker drivers to hang green leaves on their trucks while our members wear red cloth.
“By next year, if our grievances are not addressed, we will proceed on a three-day warning strike.
“If the government and people concerned are not able to apprehend and resolve it, we may be forced to turn the strike into an indefinite one,’’ he said.
