– Shell, TotalEnergies, Mobil, Chevron members up in arms
Mkpoikana Udoma
Port Harcourt — Members of the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, PENGASSAN in the country’s leading oil and gas firms have threatened to withdraw their services in solidarity with their colleagues in the Nigerian Agip Oil Company, over the sale of NAOC to Oando Plc by Eni without due process.
PENGASSAN members particularly in Mobil Producing Nigeria, Chevron Nigeria Limited, TotalEnergies EP Nigeria Limited, Shell companies in Nigeria, in separate solidarity letters to PENGASSAN Agip branch, say they will throw their full weight behind the protesting members in NAOC.
The letter from Shell branch of PENGASSAN was signed by the Chairman, Comrade Ikechukwu Onyefuru; while Chevron branch of PENGASSAN was signed by its Secretary, Comrade Pepple Soparaipirim;
Similarly, the solidarity letter from TotalEnergies branch of PENGASSAN was signed by its secretary, Comrade Abubakar Ibrahim; while Mobil branch of PENGASSAN was signed by its Chairman, Comrade Aniete Udoh; as they all pledged solidarity, citing the maxim that injury to one as an injury to all.
According to the letters sighted by our correspondent in Port Harcourt, the oil workers say they are ready and willing to take any step including withdrawal of services to drive home their demand and ensure the right thing was done.
They condemned in strong terms the acquisition of 100percent shares of NAOC by Oando Plc without due consultations with the Union as critical stakeholders and without consideration to the current harsh economic situations in the country.
The letters read in part, “We write to express our absolute solidarity with all your members after reading with shock and consternation; the purported treacherous route chosen by your Management in dealing with our NAOC Comrades in the disposal of its equity in its JV assets to Oando without recourse to outstanding financial obligations to workers.
“We share in the pains and emotional trauma which you are currently facing and humbly state that you should continue to stand very firm and resolute as you go through this phase of the struggle against this injustice meted to staff and contracted staff members of PENGASSAN.
“In line with the principles of fairness, equity, and social partnership, we believe that all the in-house unions in NAOC should be engaged by Management before, during and after the divestment to address the necessary employee welfare and benefits as will be reasonably demanded by the Unions.
“Furthermore, and to forestall any negative precedence in the industry, we plead that you continue to insist that issues of comprehensive and proper compensation, Pension and Redundancy be exhaustively addressed in a transparent manner to the satisfaction of the in-house unions and in full compliance with the provisions of the Pension Reform Act of 2014. The CBA must be treated with the sanctity it deserves at this moment.
“Finally, we hereby express full solidarity with our comrades and other affected Nigerian Staff of NAOC and wish to declare that we are willing to take any step including but not limited to service withdrawal to show our resolve on this subject.
Injury to One. Injury to All.”
