Pengassan, SPDC Plan Partnership Over Labour Issues

The Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of
Nigeria (PENGASSAN) has promised to partner with the management of Shell
Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria (SPDC) over issues relating to the
welfare of the workers, and job security challenges in the company.

This was stated by the Shell branch caretaker chairman of
PENGASSAN Comrade Millicent Omunakwe during the Union’s Special delegates
conference at Shell Industrial Area Restaurant Port Harcourt over the weekend.

She said the union and management of the company need to
partner to avoid any industrial dispute, stressing that such partnership will
help to facilitate the welfare package to the workers and the collective
bargaining negotiation review coming up soon.

Comrade Omunakwe enjoined the Union members to check
leadership styles that could brew internal wrangling and disaffection among
PENGASSAN members in Shell Branch.

She said, “we need more focused leaders and members that
will employ rational argument to sustain empathy, persuasion and supports on
our issues”.

“We should be holistic in our views on issues that affect
our members and our Industry, especially the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB),”
she said.

She said the expectation of PENGASSAN members at the end of
the special delegates conference was to elect credible and dedicated leaders
that will sustain the frame work and work harmoniously with the company’s
management to protect the interest and welfare of the workers in order to
further ensure peace and stability within the company.

In his key note address, the special guest of honour and
Shell country  chair, Mr. Mutiu Sunmonu
represented by a management staff, Alhaji Adamu congratulated PENGASSAN members
for their cooperation and supports to the company’s management.

The country’s chair said the company, will continue to give
priority attention to the welfare of the company’s work force in all major
decisions of the management.

Also speaking, Mr. Collins Edebiri, Human Resources Manager
of the company in his presentation on “Conflict Management” said the goal of
any organisational leadership is not to eliminate conflict but to use it to
achieve set goals and objectives.

He enjoined PENGASSAN leadership to see the goals of the
Union as Minimising conflict in order to achieve the union objectives through
understanding management policies and views.

The State Chairman, Trade Union Congress (TUC) Comrade Chika
Onuegbu in his presentation, “Harnessing the Potentials of Labour Unions as
Change Partners”, solicited for continuous partnership between company’s management
and the Industrial unions to enhance mutual trust.

Philip Okparaji