THE Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers, on Thursday, issued a seven-day nationwide strike notice.
The Union issued the notice in reaction to an alleged unprocedural sack of its members by Chevron Nigeria Limited and its service contractors on Wednesday.
According to NUPENG, no fewer than 175 members working in YKISH Integrated Services for the offsite/onsite maintenance services with Chevron Nigeria Limited, Delog Nigeria Limited and EUROFLOW Services, were sacked through WhatsApp messages to their respective mobile telephones. All the companies are Chevron Nigeria’s service contractors.
A statement signed by the President of the Union, Williams Akporeha; and the General Secretary, Afolabi Olawale, also demanded the immediate reinstatement of the workers within seven days, failing which members would down tools and begin a nationwide strike.
The statement said, “We wish to emphasise that this lack of respect and sensitivity to Nigerian extant labour law, international conventions and global best practices is gradually becoming the stock in trade for Chevron Nigeria Limited and its various contractors as there are still several other lingering infractions and issues against workers yet to be addressed by Chevron Nigeria Limited and its contractor even after several regulatory institutions like Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, Department of Petroleum Resources and NAPIMS had severally ruled on these matters.
“Consequently, we are calling on the general public, the media and all concerned authorities in country and the industry, including Minister of State for Petroleum, Chief Timipre Sylva, Ministry of Labour and Employment, Group Managing Director of NNPC, Mallam Mele Kyari, National Assembly, law enforcement agents and the Embassy of the United States of America to call Chevron and its service contractor(s) to order on these matters to avert avoidable industrial action from the Union.”
The Union insisted that the sacked Contract workers must be recalled to work immediately, and status quo maintained.
“In the interest of industrial peace and harmony, our demand must be met within the next seven days (7 days), otherwise, we may be forced to call out all our members on a nationwide industrial action,” it declared.
