One of Nigeria’s main oil and gas unions, the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) has issued a two-week warning of strike action over several labour disputes, including those with oil majors Chevron and Eni.

The Union iterated its demand for the government to address legitimate welfare and membership-related issues including non-payment of workers’ salaries, title benefits, among others which were contained in a statement to the federal government of Nigeria. The Union had finally reached its decision during a special national delegates’ conference convened last Thursday, November, 11, 2021.

In a statement to the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, NUPENG said, the Ministry had two week ultimatum, starting from November 15, 2021 to address the issues.

NUPENG represents a myriad of workers in the oil and gas sectors, including upstream oil platform workers, midstream regulators, fuel tanker drivers and pump attendants.

According to the Union, some of the issues highlighted included: the outstanding short payment of terminal benefits to its members that were declared redundant in 2012 by the management of Chevron Nigeria Limited.

The union also accused the management of Chevron of terminating the employment of contract workers for joining the union. This was despite the fact that the workers had committed 10 to 20 years of continuous employment, and yet their jobs were being terminated without payment of terminal benefits.

“There is also the matter concerning PYRAMIDT workers, who for more than 20 years now are being moved from one labour contractor to another without conditions of service and union representation or recognition,” the statement revealed.

Employee Welfare issues remained dominant concern

The issues raised also pertained the continuous non-payment of salaries and allowances owed workers in oil mining licence (OML) 42 of the Nigeria Petroleum Development Company (NPDC), an upstream subsidiary company of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).

NUPENG said efforts to make the management of the NPDC and the contractors do the needful on the pitiable plights of the hapless workers had yet to receive any meaningful attention and actions.

The list is endless as Nigeria Agip Oil Company (NAOC) and its Contractors are also owing Contracts Workers’ salaries and allowances for upwards of 10 months, the statement adds.

“These workers are being denied salaries and allowances on very inhuman and wicked excuses that the contractors are yet to fulfill certain due process, yet this due process is not stopping NAOC from exploiting the skills and sweats of these Nigerians for profits while the workers and their families are wallowing in hardship and poverty.”
NUPENG

The statement further read: “NAOC has since early 2020 been using the excuse of COVID-19 to keep several of our members away from work while using casual/daily paid workers to do their work even while there is a subsisting contract.”

The Union noted with disappointment that these issues tabled before different government agencies/institutions have still remain unresolved.

In a meeting by the The Special National Delegates Conference, they noted that, as a result, “it was… resolved and directed that these issues do not require any further meetings or negotiations but decisive actions and implementation of all established issues within the period of our notice to all concerned.”