NUPENG threatened nationwide shut down

Bearing last minutes intervention from the Federal Government, Nigerians may soon have to face another fuel crisis as the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) yesterday issued a fresh notice of industrial action.
The union in a statement by the President, William Akporeha and the General Secretary, Olawale Afolabi issued a 14 day ultimatum for all the issues surrounding the welfare of its members in companies like Chevron Nigeria limited, Nigeria Agip Oil Company and others, failure which it would proceed on indefinite strike after the expiration of the ultimatum.
According to NUPENG, the 
ultimatum takes effect from Monday 15th, November, 2021.
The union said the decision was taken from its Special National Delegates Conference held on Thursday 11th November 2021 to amend some clauses of the union’s Constitution.
“We write to convey to the general public and all relevant government agencies the resolution of the Special National Delegates Conference to issue a 14 day notice of a nationwide industrial action if some legitimate welfare and Membership related issues that have been variously resolved in our Favour even by the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment are not adequately and conclusively addressed and resolved within the next fourteen days,” the statement read. 
Some of the issues the union highlighted include, the outstanding short payment of terminal benefits of its members that were declared redundant in 2012 by management of Chevron Nigeria limited.
The union explained that these benefits were in line with the subsisting Collective Bargaining Agreement as at the time these workers were laid off. 
It noted, “In similar manner, Chevron management also terminated the employment of Contract workers in MUYIDEEN (Labour Contractor) and YI<ISH (Labour Contractor) because these workers consented to join the Union and when the employment of these workers who have variously put in between 10 to 20 years in continuous employment was terminated, no single kobo has been paid to them as terminal benefits.
“There is also the matter concerning PYRAMIDT workers, who for more than 20 years now being moved from one Labour Contractor to another without conditions of service and Union representation/ recognition.
The struggle for the unionization of these have spanned several years with workers remaining resolute to be members of NUPENG.”
NUPENG leadership stated that the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment had also ruled that the Contractor should accedes to the demands of the workers to belong to NUPENG after receiving the report of the Visitation Panel sent by the Ministry to the workplace to determine the nature of work and services these workers are rendering.
It lamented that several members of these workers have left jobs after several years through old age or death without any terminal benefits to show for several years of services.
The union equally said that contract workers in OML 42 of NPDC are being continuously owed salaries and allowances for upwards of 8 to 10 months and every efforts to make management of NPDC and the Contractors do the needful on the pitiable plights of these hapless workers haven’t received any meaningful attention and actions.
Concerning Nigeria Agip Oil Company, NUPENG  accused the indigenous company and its contractors of owing Contracts Workers’ salaries and allowances for upwards of 10 months. “These Workers are being denied salaries and allowances on very inhuman and wicked excuses that the Contractors are yet to fulfill certain due process, yet this due process is not stopping NAOC from exploiting the skills and sweats of these Nigerians for profits while the workers and their families are wallowing in hardship and poverty.
“In similar manner, NAOC has since early 2020 been using the excuse of COVID-19 to keep several of our members away from work while using casual/daily paid workers to do their work even while there is a subsisting contract.”
Expressing the inability of government and its agencies to prevail on the companies, NUPENG said it has  resolved and directed, that these issues do not require any further meetings or negotiations but decisive actions and implementation of all established issues within the period of its notice to all concerned.