The Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG), has given 21 days ultimatum effective today June 4, 2018 to the Nigeria Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO) and other industry players over non-implementation of Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) for tanker drivers and other anti-labour issues in the nation’s oil and gas industry.
The NUPENG President, Comrade Williams Akporeha at media briefing in Lagos over the weekend, said the union unanimously resolved to issue the twenty one days ultimatum for positive resolution of the demands of NUPENG to the leadership of NARTO, IOCs and other key players. “Failing which, we shall not hesitate to pursue further legitimate steps to seek redress within shortest possible time in the interest of our members”, he said.
He rejected purported Service Level Agreement, (SLA), reached between the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), and the Oil Producers Trade Section (OPTS), reducing duration of service contract to six months.
NUPENG lamented that over 500 union members had not been paid after working for some international oil companies.
It said that apart from not paying their salaries, the companies had continuously ill-treated the workers who were also casuals.
Comrade Akporeha, vowed to resist the implementation of the agreement and called for abrogation of the purported agreement in the interest of industrial peace in the sector.
According to him: “The Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers, NUPENG, read with rude shock and total dismay, the purported Service Level Agreement (SLA), reached between the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), and the Oil Producers Trade Section (OPTS) and therefore condemn it in its entirety and sees the SLA as an unwholesome act.
It is ridiculous and unfortunate that the NCDMB allowed desperate OPTS to arm-twist it into making mockery of the key thrust of the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry.
