Upeng Press Statement On Sacked 200 Workers

The Nigerian Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers, NUPENG in outright dismay is urgently drawing the attention of Federal Government, relevant stakeholders in the oil and gas industry and the general public to an ugly industrial relations crisis that is currently brewing which has the potential of bringing our members out on a nationwide protest if not immediately addressed.

We are seriously appalled by the indecent and irrational decision reached by the OES and Deep Sea Management, an oil exploratory company working for Chevron Nigeria Limited, who at midnight of Thursday June 28, 2018 sacked about 200 unionized members of NUPENG for their refusal to sign eight months contract barely two months after signing two years Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) with the Union.

It is quite shocking and bewildering that the intention of the OES Deep Sea Management could be, asking workers to sign eight months contract, while the work is still on-going and the clauses in the signed CBA cautiously addressed all issues that might arise in the course of the tenure of the agreement including and not limited to redundancy, contract closure, terminal benefits, among others.

The action of the OES and Deep Sea Management in our unbiased view is mean, inhuman, glaringly anti labour and alien to all known civil conventions and practice. And on the strength of this, the leadership of the Union has placed all our members nationwide on red alert for further instructions on this matter as situation unfolds. Without sounding immodest, menacing or threatful, the Union may be compelled to go all out to withdraw the services of Tanker Drivers, Drilling Workers and Pump Attendants should the management fails to rescind its vicious and hasty decision on our affected members.

Moreover, as a union that believes in promoting, preserving and protecting the interests of the working class, we cannot remain unresponsive and watch the rot and deterioration in employment relations matters involving the Management of OES Deep Sea and our members without acting accordingly and guaranteeing our members the respite they rightfully and legitimately deserve.

We therefore most respectfully demand urgent intervention of the Federal Government, Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, Federal Ministry of Petroleum Resources, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and other relevant stakeholders to salvage this unwholesome situation and call the management of OES Deep Sea to order before their action or inaction creates avoidable industrial relations crises and untoward escalations.

It is our firm belief that the Management will heed this clarion and passionate call by applying civilized norms and values by adopting the best practices in the industry within the shortest possible time frame in the interest of industrial peace and harmony.

SIGNED:
COMRADE WILLIAMS AKPOREHA
NUPENG NATIONAL PRESIDENT.