NUPENG Insists On Strike Over 175 Chevron Workers’ Sack

National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG), in a statement, yesterday, said the nationwide strike would go ahead as planned unless its 175 members sacked through WhatsApp messages were recalled unconditionally before this Wednesday.
It urged members across the country to remain on red alert and wait for further directives.
In a statement by its President and General Secretary, Prince Williams Akporeha and Afolabi Olawale, respectively, the union said: “The leadership of NUPENG has disassociated itself from a purported report that it held a meeting with Chevron Nigeria Limited management over the seven-day strike ultimatum issued over sacking of some of its members.
“There was no such meeting and, therefore, the strike ultimatum remained intact. The union urges its members nationwide to ignore the report, be on red alert and mobilise for the impending strike action at the expiration of the ultimatum.”
Recall that NUPENG had, last Thursday, issued a seven-day nationwide strike notice over alleged sack of members by Chevron Nigeria Limited and its service contractors on Wednesday through WhatsApp messages.
The union lamented that no fewer than 175 members working in YKISH Integrated Services for the offsite/onsite maintenance services with Chevron Nigeria Limited, Delog Nigeria Ltd and EUROFLOW Services (all Service Contractors to Chevron Nigeria Ltd), were sacked through WhatsApp messages to their respective mobile telephones.
The Thursday’s statement read in part: “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.
“There are still several other lingering infractions and issues against workers yet to be addressed by Chevron Nigeria Limited and its contractor.
“This is even after several regulatory institutions like Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, Department of Petroleum Resources and NAPIMS had ruled on these matters.
“These include, among others, illegal deduction of workers’ benefits in BIG SIX contract since the year 2012 and flagrant refusal to refund to the terminated workers the excess deductions made in their meagre terminal benefits.”
It would be recalled that the management of Chevron Nigeria Limited (CNL) says it has engaged the leaders of the Nigerian Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) over the 175 workers laid off by one of its contract companies.
The company’s General Manager, Policy, Government and Public Affairs, Mr Esimaje Brikinn, made this known in an interview with newsmen, yesterday, in Lagos.
Brikinn said the laid-off workers were not employees of Chevron but workers of an independent contractor providing services to Chevron.
He said the contract company laid off its workers following the suspension of the service contract agreement between it and Chevron.
“CNL is a responsible and law-abiding company.
“In keeping with our commitment to resolving issues through meaningful dialogue and respect for the rule of law, we are engaging the leaders of NUPENG and the contractor company to fully understand and seek an amicable resolution of the issues.
“The company’s highest priority remains the welfare and safety of its employees, contractors and the security of its assets; we will, therefore, do our best to safeguard these interests”, Brikinn said.
But in a swift reaction, the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG), yesterday, denied holding a meeting with Chevron Nigeria Limited (CNL), over last Wednesday’s sack of members, insisting that the seven-day strike notice subsists.