Oil workers threaten to go on strike

chika ebuzor

June 20, 2016 6:11 PM

The union accused some operators in the industry of anti-labour practices and indiscriminate sack of its members.

An off-shore rig.

The

PENGASSAN also issued a seven day ultimatum, after which they will shut down operations in the oil and gas industry.

The spokesperson of union, Emmanuel Ojugbana said “I want to reiterate our demands that the Federal Government and the concern organisations including H15, IEME Chevron, Universal Energy, Chevron Contracts Tecon and Avion Oil and Fugro should resolve the critical industrial relation issues in their companies, particularly in the recent retrenchment in Fugro and Petrostuff should be reversed.

“Let us stated unequivocally that industrial peace in the oil and gas sector will not be guaranteed if these issues, especially the retrenchment in Fugro, are not resolved within seven days effective Monday, June 20, 2016.”

He also lamented the non-payment of staff salaries saying “The effect of non-payment has led to thousands of job losses across the sectors and non-creation of new jobs against the backdrop of the electoral promises of employment generation by the current government. A stitch in time saves nine.”

Ojugbana also said some of its members were sacked by some companies despite an agreement which PENGASSAN and National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) signed with the Federal Government.

The Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) is one of the 24 registered Senior Staff Associations in Nigeria.

It was formally registered as a trade union on August 15, 1978.

chika ebuzor