A joint press release by the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) and Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Association (PENGASSAN) has alleged that the management of Chevron Nigeria Ltd plans to lay off some of its employees.
The unions allege that the decision to sack the staff follows a directive from the National Petroleum Investment Management Services (NAPIMS), a subsidiary of state owned oil company NNPC, and the Nigeria Content Developing and Monitoring Board (NCDMB).
According to the unions, rather than keep up with an agreement to roll over contract workers, whose terms of service end on October 31, 2018, the multinational has decided to higher new casual staff.
The unions noted that Chevron’s decision disregards the intervention of the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, alleging that the company decided to terminate the employment of the contract staff, instead of triggering the ‘roll over’ provision.
The unions described the move by the firm as “cruel, callous and by all standards an affront on the Nigerian constituted authority and industry extant rules”.
The statement read: “Without mincing words, we are deeply bothered by the purported claims being peddled around by Chevron Management that their action of sacking Nigerian workers is a directive from National Petroleum Investment Management Services (NAPIMS) and the Nigeria Content Developing and Monitoring Board (NCDMB).
We then begin to wonder if the role of these reputable government agencies is to create jobs for Nigerians or to compound unemployment situation which is already prevalent in the country.”
The unions also notified the public of the possibility of a strike action, if government fails to halt Chevron’s planned sack.
The statement continued: “At this juncture, we are further constrained to notify the general public that NUPENG and PENGASSAN will not hesitate to embark on a nationwide industrial action on this matter.
“We have already placed our members on red alert should the Management of Chevron remain recalcitrant or adamant to rescind its anti-labour decision, which is grossly injurious to Nigerian workers who are oil and gas workers and by extension the nation’s economy.
“As proactive unions that have interest of the nation at heart, we found it appropriate to use this avenue to appeal to the National Assembly, Federal Ministry of Petroleum Resources, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Department of State Services (DSS), and other relevant authorities to prevail on Chevron Nigeria Limited to toe the line of best endeavour, by exercising restraints and engage in peaceful transition into new contract circle.”
By peaceful transition, the unions mean: “strictly following established guidelines which provide for roll-over of workers”.
On July 10, NUPENG had called off a 21-day warning strike over the treatment of workers by employers in the oil and gas industry. One of the issues raised in the aborted strike action was a service level agreement with NCMDB.
