NUPENGASSAN sets to wear one trouser with Chevron mgt over sack of 600

By allcitynews.ng

The leadership of National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas (NUPENG) and the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) have vowed to wear one trouser with management of Chevron Nigeria over sack of 600 amidst COVID-19 pandemic.

This is as a result of trying to compensate workers that risked their lives during COVID-19 lockdown with sack.

NUPENGASSAN has directed her members in Chevron Nigeria Limited to commence a total shut down of the company’s operations over the sack of 600 Nigerian employees and other anti-labour practices by the management of the company.

In a statement jointly signed by the President of NUPENG, Comrade Prince Akporeha and his PENGASSAN counterpart, Comrade Festus Osifo, the unions stated that Chevron management was using the excuse of the Covid-19 pandemic as an excuse to ease out Nigerian workers from the company while it continued to engage expatriates to do jobs that Nigerians were qualified to perform.

The unions gathered that Chevron management on Independence Day, notified about two thousand of its employees that their services are no longer required and that those still interested in working with them can apply afresh for a new job. This development runs contrary to Nigeria’s laws and regulating the Oil and Gas industry as it does not protect our national interest. This is an imperialist agenda that must not be allowed to stay; most especially as we have just finished celebrating our 60th independence as a sovereign country.

Agree, the coronavirus pandemic did hit the world real hard, but should that make organisations lose their humanity? It is obvious that the management wants to casualise Nigerians. Is this a way to compensate workers who risked their lives, even during the lockdown to sustain production?

The duo noted that in a country where agenda of Federal Government is to create one million jobs, the action by Chevron is in opposite direction.

Moreover they pointed out that since an approval was also given for the employment of one thousand employees in the NNPC by the government which to us is an effort geared towards fulfilling its promise on job creation, they wondered why should this come up now?

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 per cent stake in Chevron we should have a say. The Unions will not turn its back on the oil workers, not even when one of its affiliates is affected.
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.