NUPENG to begin 3-day nationwide warning strike Jan 9

THE National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) members will begin a three-day nationwide warning strike on Jan 9, 2017 against the anti-labour practice of international oil companies (IOCs).

The South-West chairman of the union, Alhaji Tokunbo, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos that the warning strike was inevitable because all other options had failed.

According to Korodo, “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.

“We have sensitised the public and also seek the intervention of the Federal Government over the anti-labour activities of the IOCs on our members but we are not getting results.

“Our members that put in their best within the duration of time they worked were not paid their severance packages by their employers when they sacked them.

“This is a big slap and it will not be allowed.

“What they are practising here in Nigeria, they cannot practise in their countries, so that is why we say enough is enough.

“We will take the bull by the horn,’’ he said.

The chairman said what led to the planned warning strike was inherited by the present administration, while some occurred within the same government.

“Two hundred and fifty members of our union 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, Sen. Chris Ngige, asked all parties to maintain the status-quo ante and we complied because we respect the authority.

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

“If the government and people concerned are not able to apprehend and resolve it, we may be forced to turn the strike into an indefinite one,’’ he said