Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) will on Wednesday, January 11, begin a three-day nationwide warning strike over disputes with International Oil Companies (IOCs), including Exxon Mobil and Chevron Nigeria Limited.
The union is especially protesting the indiscriminate sack of workers without benefits and refusal to allow them to join union.
NUPENG has been having running battles with some of the IOCs what it described as over unfair labour practices.
Chevron allegedly sacked over 300 NUPENG members without benefits late last year and efforts by the union for them to be recalled was unsuccessful.
It was also learnt that Chevron shunned the directive by the Ministry of Labour and Employment, that all parties return to status quo after the union called off its initial action against the company in obedience to the ministry’s directive.
Also, according to the, Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, (PENGASSAN), Mobil fired over 100 workers on December 14, 2016, without following due process.
The union accused the management of Mobil of flagrant violation of Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content Development (NOGICD) Act of 2010, by deploying expatriates to take over jobs for which there is local capacity.
NUPENG’s National Executive Council (NEC) have, however, scheduled a meeting for Tuesday, January 10, ahead of the commencement of its Wednesday strike.
