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Tag: NUPENG

  • Nationwide strike looms as NUPENG begins warning strike

    Nationwide strike looms as NUPENG begins warning strike

    The Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) on Wednesday began its three-day nationwide warning strike over unresolved labour issues with multinationals operating in the oil and gas industry.

    Mr Rotimi Benjamin, the Vice-Chairman, South-West Zonal Council of the union told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos that the three nation’s refineries were not loading due to the strike.

    Benjamin said that the situation remained the same in both private and NNPC depots in Lagos, adding that loading had been grounded due to the strike.

    The vice-chairman said that the union had mobilised members to ensure that the strike achieved its purpose.

    He said that the leadership of the union did not proceed on strike to make life difficult for the masses but to press home its demand.

    Benjamin, however, said that the National Executive Council (NEC) of the union were currently meeting with Federal Government representatives and International Oil Companies (IOCs) on the way forward.

    He said the leadership of the union would address the public on whether to suspend the warning strike or to continue with it.

    Journalists who monitored the strike observed that all depots in Lagos were not loading petroleum products as a result of the strike.

    Petroleum Tanker Drivers (PTD) were seen discussing the strike in the group.

    A tanker driver from Ekiti State, Mr Oluwole Joseph, who came to load at NIPCO Depot in Apapa, said he thought the strike would not go on.

    Joseph said that he thought the government would have met with the leadership of the union to resolve the issues.

    He said that he hoped the strike would be suspended after today’s meeting with the union.

    NUPENG, on December 16, gave the Federal Government a notice of a three-day nationwide warning strike from the second week of January 2017, over unresolved labour issues with multinationals operating in the oil and gas industry.

    President of the union, Mr Igwe Achese, in a statement, said the decision was taken at the end of the NUPENG NEC meeting in Port Harcourt, Rivers.

    He warned that the three-day warning strike was preparatory to a nationwide strike if there was no intervention by the Federal Government.

    NAN also reports that on December 10, NUPENG concluded from its NEC meeting in Abuja to continue with the three-day warning strike starting from Jan.11.

  • NUPENG on strike today

    The National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas (NUPENG is to begin a three day warning strike today to protest unfair labour practices in the nation’s oil and gas sector, even as the Minister of Labour is scheduled to meet with the union and representatives of oil firms.

    National President of the Union, Comrade Igwe Achese told newsmen at the end of its emergency National Executive Council meeting in Abuja that the outcome of the meeting with the Minister will however determine whether the warning strike will last for the planned three days.

  • NUPENG threatens strike at Exxon Mobil, Chevron

    A Nigerian oil labor union is set to stage a three-day strike at Chevron and Exxon Mobil fuel depots from tomorrow in a protest over sackings pending the outcome of talks with the government, union officials said yesterday.

    The Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) said it would make its final decision on the matter after its leaders meet officials from the ministries of petroleum and labor, as well as the state oil company, on Tuesday in the capital, Abuja.

    “There will be a total shutdown of production terminals, distribution and filling stations. We are talking about the downstream sector,” said Tokunbo Korodo, who chairs the union’s southwestern Lagos zone, of the planned walkout. He said 10,000 workers would go on strike.

    Chika Onuegbu, a senior figure in another labor union – Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) – said his members would await the outcome of government talks before deciding whether or not to strike.

    Exxon Mobil and Chevron could not immediately be reached for comment.

    Nigerian labor unions have criticized oil companies for sacking workers in recent months. Last week NUPENG held a strike at Total’s fuel depots in a row over sackings but it was suspended after one day because an agreement was reached. No details have emerged about the deal.

  • Labour begins action with NUPENG’s warning strike

    Labour begins action with NUPENG’s warning strike

    Labour is set to begin a regime of strikes from tomorrow when junior oil workers down tools for a three-day warning strike.
    The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has also expressed its readiness to go on strike soon if the minimum wage is not raised from N18,000.
    The Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) also yesterday raised the alarm over looming scarcity of the petrol and the high cost of kerosene.
    At the end of last year, labour leaders warned the government that strikes would characterize this year because of unresolved issues.
    The Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) said y there is no going back on its warning strike scheduled to commence tomorrow to protest unresolved labour issues with multinationals operating in the oil and gas industry.
    The South-West Zonal Chairman of the union, Alhaji Tokunbo Korodo, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos that the union had mobilised its members for the strike.
    “The warning strike notice had been given since the National Executive Council (NEC) meeting that was held in Port Harcourt in December and we picked second week of January which commences from Jan 8.
    “We are having another NEC meeting in Abuja on Jan. 10, to appraise the preparation for the planned strike and meet the government officials.
    “It has been the practice of the Nigerian government to wait until the ultimatum day before they start to run from one place to other to find solutions to it.
    The NLC said the government must set up a tripartite committee to review the minimum wage.
    According to the Labour leadership, the N56,000 proposed increase is no longer tenable because of inflation and other economic indices.
    NLC General Secretary Comrade Peter Ozo-Eson said: “The issue of minimum wage remains sacrosanct because of the fact that by law and practice, the review is due and overdue. We have said clearly that we cannot guarantee any industrial peace any longer if necessary steps are not taken by government to try to resolve this issue this year.
    “This is very clear because as we said, we have sent formal notice of demand as required by law to government to try to constitute the committee.
    “Essentially, the committee to dialogue and negotiate the minimum wage which is supposed to be tripartite has not been set up. If it is set up, all of you will be aware of the membership and also their terms of reference and the timeline given to them to actually dispose with this very vital issue.
    Ozo-Eson said the N56,000 proposal was made some years back when the economy was not as bad as this, adding that the meeting between the stakeholders and the government would address this.
    He said:: “We made the N56,000 proposal as at the time the situation was not as worst as this. Lots of things have changed. Prices of things have gone up. So what we propose them was based on the situation on ground. “These are the things the tripartite meeting will address.
    President of the United labour Congress (ULC) Comrade Joe Ajaero, said the acceptable minimum wage for the Nigerian workers in the present economic circumstances is the N96,000 being proposed by the l ULC to the Federal Government.
    IPMAN Vice President Alhaji Abubakar Dankigari, yesterday said the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) which sold petrol for N133 per litre at the depots, was no longer loading.

  • No going back on January warning strike – NUPENG

    No going back on January warning strike – NUPENG

    The Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) on Monday there is no going back on its planned warning strike scheduled to commence on  January 11.

    Alhaji Tokunbo Korodo, the South-West Zonal Chairman of the union told newsmen in Lagos that the Union had mobilised its members for the strike.

    He said that the union was determined to forge ahead with the planned warning strike, which would take place on from January 11 to January 13.

    “The warning strike notice had been given since the National Executive Council (NEC) meeting that was held in Port Harcourt in December and we picked the second week of January which commences from January 8.

    “As I am speaking to you now, all zones including Lagos have mobilised to ensure the success of the strike as directed by NEC body of NUPENG.

    “We are having another NEC meeting in Abuja on Jan. 10, to appraise the preparation for the planned strike and meet the government officials.

    “It has been the practice of the Nigerian government to wait until the ultimatum day before they start to run from one place to other to find solutions to it.

    “If this warning strike is not properly handled as we have mobilised to ensure the success of our action, nobody should blame the union,” he said.

    Korodo said that if the government had met the NEC of NUPENG before now, the action could have been “nipped in the board’’.

    NAN reports that NUPENG on Dec. 16 gave the Federal Government a notice of a three-day nationwide warning strike from the second week of January 2017.

    The action will be taken over unresolved labour issues with multinationals operating in the oil and gas industry.

    President of the union, Mr Igwe Achese, in a statement, said that the decision was taken at the end of the NUPENG NEC, meeting in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

    He warned that the three-day warning strike was preparatory to a nationwide strike if there was no intervention by the Federal Government.

  • No kerosene in Lagos depots – NUPENG

    The Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) on Saturday said there is no single drop of kerosene in any of the private depots and that of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) in Lagos.

    The National Chairman, Surface Tank Kerosene Peddlers (SUTAKEP) Branch of NUPENG, Mr. Rotimi Benjamin, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos.

    NAN reports that kerosene was last brought to the depots on December 27, 2016.

    Benjamin, who is also the Vice-Chairman of NUPENG, Lagos Zonal Council, said that scarcity of Kerosene had made its price to go up, thus making it unaffordable for the masses.

    He urged the Federal Government to come to the aid of the masses, who could not afford the price of cooking gas, by making kerosene available at the depots and filling stations.

    He said, “It is very sad that things are going on this way, for the past two weeks, there is no supply of kerosene to any of the depots in Lagos.

    “The two refineries in the country have not been pumping kerosene to the depots.

    “This has forced the marketers that have the product in their stations to increase the price by over 60 per cent.

    “This is not the right time for our refineries to stop kerosene production, as everybody cannot depend on gas.

    “Common man cannot afford the price of cylinder and cooking gas. Our mothers in the village depend on kerosene, an essential household commodity, to cook.

    “Government should address the issue and alleviate the sufferings of the masses by making the product available.”

     

     

  • Work resumes at Total Blending Plant as NUPENG suspends strike

    Work resumes at Total Blending Plant as NUPENG suspends strike

    Normalcy on Friday returned to Total Nig. Plc Blending Plants, Lagos, after four days of protest by the NUPENG members working at the lubricant section over anti-labour activities of the company.

    The workers resumed after suspending their protest on Thursday evening following a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed with the Total management and the labour contractor, Jomog Nig. Ltd.
    News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) correspondent, who visited the blending plant situated at Kirikiri Road, Apapa, observed that the two trailers used to block the entrance had been removed.

    Workers were seeing at their different posts in their offices.

    Mr Gude Michaels, the NUPENG Chairman, Total Blending Plant, confirmed to NAN that workers of the plant had resumed work.

    Michaels said that the leadership of NUPENG had signed a MoU with the Total Nig. Plc and Jomog Nig. Ltd., the labour contractor handling staff recruitment for the company.

    “As a result of the agreement reached between the union representing the workers, the labour contractor and Total management, we have resumed work today.

    “We thank the union, Total and the labour contractor for resolving the issues amicably.
    “After all, there is no job loss and the status quo remains unchanged,’’ he said.

    Speaking earlier, Alhaji Tokunbo Korodo, the South-West Chairman of NUPENG told NAN that all parties regretted the incident caused by their actions immediately after resolving the issues.

    Korodo said that the union had acknowledged the economic situation of the country in related to Total position on the matter.

    He said that the company had agreed not to victimise any workers as a result of their industrial actions.
    “We were able to resolve all the issues we had with them and a communiqué was signed.

    “The existence of the union has to stay and the contract of three months has been cancelled,” he said.

    Mr Kayode Olasupo, the Managing Director, Jomog Nig. Ltd., a labour contractor, assured workers that the company would follow all agreement reached with all parties in the MoU.

    NAN reports that on Jan. 3, the NUPENG members working at the lubricant section of Total had embarked on protest with a view to amending their yearly renewable contracts.

    NUPENG on Thursday ordered the shutdown of fuel depots belonging to French oil major, Total, over the threat to some of its members’ jobs.

  • NUPENG shuts down Total over sacked workers

    NUPENG shuts down Total over sacked workers

    The Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) yesterday ordered stoppage of loading activities at all Total Nig. Ltd depots nationwide over termination of workers’ appointments.

    A statement signed by Tokunbo Korodo, Southwest chairman of the union, explained that the management of Total had been resisting the unionisation of workers under its contract programme in Lagos, Kaduna and Koko in Delta blending plants.

    He said the management of the oil major had moved further to terminate the appointment of workers who had joined the union in spite of its efforts to resolve the issue amicably.

    “In view of this, the union has directed all workers in Total downstream to stop work until the management allows workers to unionise and slave labour introduced are cancelled. This action should commence immediately,” he said.

    Zonal Vice-Chairman, Southwest chapter of NUPENG, Rotimi Benjamin, said the management of Total had summoned the union to a meeting to resolve the issue.

    Benjamin, however, said the union would not go back on its action until all the issues were resolved.

    A News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) correspondent who visited Total Blending Plant at Kirikiri, Apapa, observed that workers blocked the entrance of the gate with two trailers.

    The workers were seen with various placards bearing inscriptions such as: “Nigerians enslaving Nigerians in Nigeria”, “Total and Jomog want to sack us because we joined NUPENG”.

  • NUPENG plans warning strike Jan 9

    NUPENG plans warning strike Jan 9

    •Union to protest IOCs’ unfair practices

    The National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) is planning a three-day warning strike on January 9, to protest alleged anti-labour practice of International Oil Companies (IOCs).

    Its Southwest Chairman, Alhaji Tokunbo Korodo, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos the strike was inevitable.

    He 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 welfare of our members.

    “We have sensitised the public and sought the intervention of the Federal Government on anti-labour activities of IOCs, 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 package 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 horns.”

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

    “Two hundred and fifty members of our union were affected by the divestment by Chevron Nigeria Ltd., in Southeast.

    “And this is giving us a serious concern because they cannot feed their families.

    “The Minister of Labour, Senator Chris Ngige, asked parties to maintain the status-quo ante and we complied because we respect the authority.”

    “But the IOCs seem to be above the law or more powerful than the government; they failed to maintain the status-quo ante agreed to by parties.

    “Chevron had to tell our 250 members that their contract with it was no more binding on it because it cannot trace the company that employed them as contract workers for it.

    “The minister said Chevron had to pay the sacked workers, but its management refused to comply.

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

    “We would risk our lives and resources to Abuja, no IOCs member would come.

    “Even when their representatives came, they would be those without a mandate to represent the organisation just to frustrate the discussion,’’ Korodo said.

    He alleged that all other IOCs in the country were involved in these anti-labour practices.

    “We do not want the public to see the strike as if we are 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.

  • No fuel increase in Christmas, NUPENG assures

    The National Union of Petroleum and Gas Workers (NUPENG) has assured there will be no fuel increment in the forthcoming yuletide season.

    It vowed to resist any attempt by the federal government to increase pump prices as it has become customary in recent times.

    NUPENG’s national president Comrade Achese Igwe gave the assurance yesterday during the 14th memorial thanksgiving service of his mother, Mrs. Tamunoibuomi Bereiweriso, in Ogoloma, Okirika local government area of Rivers State.

    Igwe explained yuletide is a period of joy and celebration, pointing out increasing fuel price at such a period is anti- people, especially during a recession.

    He lamented none of the promise by the federal government during the last fuel increase in May had been fulfilled.

    Igwe stated: “They said they needed money for Turn Around Maintenance (TAM).

    “They said they wanted to repair the refineries. But as we speak the four refineries are not working optimally.

    “It’s sad! I am a member of the palliative committee but up till now, nothing has happened. So, my answer to any increase is no. We won’t allow that to happen.”

    Igwe also condemned the sack of workers in the oil and gas industry.

    He said the federal government should do more in regulating the activities of multinational oil companies laying off workers.