OIL Workers- We will go on strike come 2017

Oil workers in Nigeria have vowed to embark on a three-day warning strike

- The workers said the strike action has become inevitable since the federal government has failed to intervene against anti-labour activities of International oil companies

- The oil workers said the strike action will begin in January 2017

The oil workers have vowed to begin strike in 2017

On Monday, December 19, the Nigerian Union of Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) threatened to embark on a three-day warning strike in January, 2017.

The union said the warning strike has become inevitable because all options used in agitating for the welfare of its sacked members.

Chairman of NUPENG South-West chapter Tokunbo Korudo told News agency of Nigeria in Lagos that all efforts to seek federal government’s intervention against activities of the International Oil Companies against its members has been futile.

Korudo said: “We are not gaining anything by going on strike because it is not a joyful thing but as a union, we have to protect and fight for the welfare of our members."

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“We have sensitized the public and also seek the intervention of the Federal Government on the anti-labour activities of the IOCs against our members but we are not getting results," Korudo said.

He said members of NUPENG have worked diligently but are yet to receive dividends of their hard work from their respective employers.

“Our members that put in their best within the time they worked were not paid their severance packages by their employers after they sacked them. This is a big slap and it will not be allowed.

“What they are practicing here in Nigeria, they cannot practise in their countries; so, that is why we say enough is enough,”Korudo said.

Korudo said the warning strike will be coming as a spill over on issues failed to be addressed by the past administrations.

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“Two hundred and fifty members of our union members were affected by the divestment by Chevron Nigeria Limited in the South-East. And this is giving us a serious concern because they cannot feed their families.

“The Minister of Labour, Dr. Chris Ngige, asked all parties to maintain the status-quo ante and we complied because we respect the authorities, but the IOCs seem to be above the law or more powerful than the government; they failed to maintain the status-quo ante which was amicably agreed on by both parties.”

Korudo said the minister had said Chevron must pay the sacked workers but its management refused to comply.

He also said the international oil companies have been involved in gross anti-labour practices in Nigeria.

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“It got to a time when Ngige called for a meeting in Abuja to mediate; at times, its (firm) representatives would not show up.”

“We do not want the public to see the strike as if we are unnecessarily punishing Nigerians. That’s why we are using this period to protest by asking tanker drivers to hang green leaves on their trucks and our members to wear red cloth.

“By next year, if our grievances are not addressed within this period, we will proceed on a three-day warning strike," he said.

Some oil workers had last week shut down Exxon Mobil oil company over series of grievances among employees.