Oil workers under the aegis of the Nigeria Union of
Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers and the Petroleum
and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria will
commence a nationwide strike on Monday (today) to
protest the inability of the Federal Government to carry out
turnaround maintenance of the nation’s four refineries and
reduce pump prices of petrol in line with the slump in
global prices of crude oil.

The unions said their members had been fully mobilised,
adding that the strike would not be suspended until there
was a strong commitment from the government and
managements/operators of affected oil companies on the
issues.

They said in a joint statement made available to our
correspondents on Sunday by the Media and Information
Officer, PENGASSAN, Mr. Babatunde Oke, that the strike
would affect all oil and gas operations in the upstream,
midstream and downstream sectors.

The over 40 per cent decline in the price of crude oil is
expected to have brought about a reduction in the pump
prices of petroleum products in the country, as seen in
other countries around the world.

The oil workers had last Monday threatened to embark on
the industrial action should the government fail to meet
their demands.

The President, PENGASSAN, Mr. Francis Johnson, in a
telephone interview with one of our correspondents on
Sunday night, confirmed the strike report.
“We are starting the strike by tomorrow (today) and as
events unfold, we will let people know,” he said.

The NUPENG National President, Mr. Achese Igwe, also said
on Sunday that the strike was also to protest the alleged
sacking of the Zonal Secretary of the Senior Staff
Association (Port Harcourt Zone), Mrs. Elo Ogbonda, by
Total Exploration and Production.

The oil workers said the strike was also to ensure that the
government evolved new strategies to combat pipeline
vandalism and crude oil theft, which had adversely affected
the nation’s economy.

Other reasons listed for the strike are delay in the passage
of the Petroleum Industry Bill, non-implementation of the
Nigeria Oil and Gas Industry Content Development Act
expected to reflect Nigerians in management positions and
expatriate quota law, appalling state of access roads to
refineries and oil depots’ facilities, insecurity all over the
country that has reportedly led to the death of their
members, casualisation of workers and unfair labour
practices by companies and government agencies.

The oil workers said that the unfair labour practices
included transfer and termination of national officers of the
two unions.

According to them, the government has refused to honour
all engagements and agreements reached with them on all
their issues of concerns including the turnaround
maintenance of the refineries and ensuring adequate
supply of crude oil to the refineries to ensure that they
function effectively.

The unions also demanded that the government should put
in place alternative strategies to stop pipeline vandalism
and crude oil theft, convene an industry stakeholders’
forum on the PIB status and falling crude oil prices and
address the ongoing high rate divestment in the industry
and its attendant job losses.

http://www.punchng.com/news/oil-workers-begin-strike-
today-over-fuel-price-others/

Nawa oh