Tanker Drivers And Labour Laws

The nearly one week old strike embarked upon by the Tanker Drivers wing of the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) over disagreement between it and the police on the one hand, and their perceived failure of the Rivers State Government to provide remedial repairs on roads leading to and from petroleum tank farms that have caused untold nightmare for haulage trucks,  on the other, has left in its trail, untold sufferings on members of the public.

The hardship experienced by fellow Nigerians whose everyday activities depended so much on availability of petrol to operate commuter vehicles that move the masses, left not a few, asking questions as to why the NUPENG always took delight in inflicting hardship on the masses by refusing to lift petroleum products at the slightest  provocation.

Granted that the NUPENG has the right to protect its members’ welfare in their call of duty, this could be done in more civilized ways than through attempts at crippling the economy and inflicting avoidable hardship on fellow compatriots.

As citizens who live in a country guided by laws, our actions must conform with every relevant laws. In this context, therefore, the unions in the oil and gas industry, must play by the rules governing labour relations and disputes at all times.

Indeed, we expect that in the event of any disagreement between NUPENG and either their employers, government or its agents, every avenue for dialogue must be exhausted before resorting to industrial action.

For instance, the union must first issue a 21-day ultimatum, at the expiration of which another 7-day ultimatum is legally permissible. If their demands are not met, even within the 28 days window for dialogue, the next port of call should be the National Industrial Arbitration Court.

We are, however, appalled that both NUPENG and its senior colleagues, Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association (PENGASSAN) seldom follow these laid-down processes in resolving their differences with either their employers or government.

This is why it beats our imagination that in a democracy such as ours, which plays by the rule of law, NUPENG still went ahead with its plan to cripple socio-economic activities in Rivers State for nearly one week. This is not acceptable because all avenues for the peaceful resolution of the dispute were not exhausted before the use of their  power to halt distribution of petroleum products, in full knowledge of its  negative consequences on the economy.

We recall also the  case in December 2011, when tanker drivers blocked the Rumuolumeni axis of Port Harcourt metropolis for several days while activities in that area were paralysed. In fact, their grouse was an isolated case of disagreement between one tanker driver and a police team. Even PENGASSAN, last week, issued a 7-day ultimatum to some companies within Onne Export Free Zone to acceed to its demands or face industrial action that is likely to throw the state into another round of hardship.

If truth be told, the way members of both NUPENG and PENGASSAN view the relevance of their services to society and their willingness to use the withdrawal of such services to inflict pain on Nigerians, only portrays them as very selfish. We make this assertion because, if other essential service providers, like staff of the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) and healthcare service personnel withdrew  their services at the slightest push, like NUPENG then our march towards accelerated development of the economy would be an illusion.

In view of the dangers inherent in monopoly which the NUPENG enjoys in the distribution of petroleum products by road haulage, it now becomes pertinent, more than ever before, for the Federal Government to do more towards reviving the railways as an alternative means of hauling petroleum products across the country and at cheaper cost. This is in addition to the need to build fuel depots in all major cities in order to have the products closer to the people, and also to help call the bluff of the NUPENG.

Beside easing distribution of petroleum products, effective rail system would drastically reduce the pressure on our roads, and make them safer for commuters across the country. More importantly, NUPENG and other unions, for that matter, should learn to obey the laws of the land as their recent action, which portrays them as a lawless group, is totally unacceptable.