VictorAhiuma-Young
15 February 2013, Sweetcrude, Lagos—Nigerian Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers, NUPENG, and the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, PENGASSAN, have called off their plans to shut down oil operations in Rivers, Bayelsa, Akwa Ibom, Cross River and six other states over alleged unfair labour practices by the management of Onne, Rivers State, Free Trade Zone.
The industrial action slated to have commenced last Wednesday, would’ve also affected other states such as Ebonyi, Imo, Enugu, Abia, Anambra and Benue.
NUPENG and PENGASSAN members were protesting the sack of union members and refusal of over 100 oil firms in the Onne Free Trade Zone to allow their workers to join unions as guaranteed in the nation’s constitution, labour and international conventions ratified by Nigeria.
The suspension of the strike, according to NUPENG and PENGASSAN, was sequel to the agreement reached with management of the zone last week in a meeting called by the Minister of Labour and Productivity, Chief Emeka Wogu.
