BY BIMBOLA OYESOLA
The Nigeria oil workers under the umbrella of the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natu­ral Gas Workers (NUPENG) and Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Associa­tion (PENGASSAN), today began an indefinite strike to push for their demands over unfair labour practices, ability of the government to carry out turn around main­tenance of the refineries and others.
The unions said they were protesting government’s in­ability to reduce pump prices of petroleum products in line with the slump in global prices of crude oil.
The strike according to the union was also to ensure that the government evolve new strategies to combat pipeline vandalism and crude oil theft that have impacted negatively on the nation’s economy and employment in the country.
Other reasons for the strike are the delay in the passage of the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB), global crude oil prices slump, non-implementation of the Nigeria Oil and Gas Industry Content Develop­ment (NOGICD) Act to reflect Nigerians in management po­sitions and expatriate quota law, appalling state of access roads to refineries and oil de­pots’ facilities, insecurity all over the country that has led to the death of their members, appointments in government agencies in disregards to suc­cession planning, compulsory deduction from workers’ sala­ries for the National Housing Fund (NHF), casualisation and contract staffing and un­fair labour practice by compa­nies and government agencies.
The unfair labour practices listed by the oil workers also include transfer and termina­tion of national officers of the two unions.
In a statement made avail­able by the unions, the strike will affect all operations in the upstream, midstream and downstream sectors of the oil and gas industry, as members will be withdrawn from all oil and gas installations.
The unions said that all members have been fully mobilized to embark on an indefinite strike from today, adding that the strike will not be suspended until there is a strong commitment from the government and affected man­agements/operators to resolve the issues.
According to NUPENG and PENGASSAN, the govern­ment has refused to honour all engagements and agreements reached with them on all their issues of concerns including the turn around maintenance of the refineries and ensuring adequate supply of crude oil to the refineries to ensure that they function effectively and efficiently.
The unions also demand that the government should put in place alternative strate­gies to stop pipeline vandalism and crude oil theft, convene an industry stakeholders’ forum on PIB status and falling crude oil prices and address the on­going high rate divestment in the industry and its attendant job losses.
On casualisation and con­tract staffing, NUPENG and PENGASSAN demand imme­diate conversion of all contract staff to regular staff in accor­dance with the approved Con­tract, Casual and Outsourcing in the Oil and Gas Industry Guidelines
NUPENG President, Igwe Achese said specifically in Okrika, Rivers state yesterday that Total Nigeria would have to recall its member, Elo Og­bonde, a Zonal officer elected for the Port Harcourt zone in July this year, but subse­quently posted out to Lagos in August.
“It was done to punish her and to make her lose her seat, but our position is that the strike which begins in the Port Harcourt zone tomorrow will not be called of until she is recalled. It will not be fair for any employers to undermine the rights of the workers to elect their leaders, this despite all the interventions by the Ministries”, he said.

NUPENG, PENGASSAN begin nationwide strike today