Matthew Asabor
Lagos – – The Trade Union Congress of Nigeria has strongly condemned and urged the government to call the management of Chevron and other multinationals scheming to relocate jobs to home countries and also planning to replace Nigerians in their establishments with their nationals to order.
The President, TUC, Comrade Quadri Olaleye stated that the Congress gathered that Chevron Management recently notified about two thousand of its employees that their services are no longer required and that those still interested in working with them should apply afresh for a new job.
He said this development runs contrary to Nigeria laws regulating the Oil and Gas industry and other industries in the country as it does not protect the national interest of the country.
He described this move as an imperialist agenda that must not be allowed to stay, as most especially the country recently celebrated 60th independence as a sovereign country.
Olaleye concurred that the coronavirus pandemic did hit the world real hard but that should not make organisations lose their humanity, as it is obvious that the management wants to casualise Nigerians, he added that ‘ is this a way to compensate workers who have risked their lives even during the lockdown to sustain production?’
The TUC boss said it is imperative at this point to remind the federal government that one million jobs per year is one of its mantras it made if voted into power and also not forgetting that an approval was giving to Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, to employ one thousand employees as an effort geared towards fulfilling the promises.
‘Mr. President, we are Nigerians and it is expedient that we defend our interest. We should consider this move by Chevron Management as an insult on our collective existence as a country. With our 60% stake in Chevron we should have a say. The Congress will not turn its back on the oil worker’
‘We must know that sacking two thousand employees who are married men and women is the same as sacking ten thousand people. The additional eight thousand are their dependents (wives, husband, children, parents, in-laws and unemployed friends)’ he fumed.
Olaleye revealed that organised labour has made a lot of sacrifices and compromises to maintain a peaceful industrial atmosphere since this administration commenced but unfortunately it appears that their tolerance and show of understanding is being taken for granted.
‘We are against this imperialist agenda, as we are going to check this manipulation because Nigeria is our fatherland and most importantly we have a Labour law that regulates the activities of organisations which cannot be breached’ he said.
