The Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers,
NUPENG, and its Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria,
PENGASSAN, has announced their readiness to begin an indefinite nationwide
strike today.
They are protesting the inability of the government to carry
out Turn Around Maintenance, TAM, of the refineries and reduce pump prices of
petroleum products in line with the slump in global prices of crude oil.
Other grievances include
delay in the passage of the
Petroleum Industry Bill, PIB; non-implementation of the Nigeria Oil and Gas
Industry Content Development, NOGICD, Act to reflect Nigerians in management
positions and expatriate quota law; appalling state of access roads to
refineries and oil depots’ facilities and insecurity in the country that has
led to the death of members.
Other complaints are appointments in government agencies in
disregards to succession planning, compulsory deduction from workers’ salaries
for the National Housing Fund, NHF; casualization and contract staffing and
unfair labour practice by companies and government agencies.
The grievances also include termination of appointment of the
Port Harcourt Zonal Secretary of the association by Total Exploration and
Production, Total E&P, Nigeria Limited; retardation of staff promotion in
the Petroleum Technology Development Fund, PTDF; non-standardisation of
nomenclature and collective bargaining agreement of the Nigerian Nuclear
Regulatory Agency, NNRA, in line with what is obtained in other agencies in the
oil and gas industry and refusal of the management of Addax/Petrostuff Nigeria
Limited and Chevron/Sudelletra to recall sacked staff.
This strike is coming at the expiration of the 14-day ultimatum
issued by the union to government on October 31, 2014.
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