Members of the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) will as from next week, wear red bands to work while the members of the Petroleum Tanker Drivers have been instructed also to put green leaves on their tankers.
These actions are meant to demonstrate their protest over certain actions by multinational oil companies operating in Nigeria. Of particular concern to the union is the divestment of multinationals from the country and non-payment of terminal benefits to workers.
The union claimed that Chevron had planned divesting from OML 53 and 55 and OML 30 without informing the union. Other grievances, according to Achese, are the non-payment of terminal benefits to 48 contract workers and 250 contract workers terminated in Lagos and Port Harcourt by the Nigeria Agip Oil Company, and the refusal of Mobil Producing to reinstate the 200 NUPENG members it sacked.
The union has also declared in the event of non-response by the multinationals and/or Federal Government’s intervention in the matter, the union will embark on a 3-day warning strike in January.
“The union states that the date in January will be communicated to all its members, but advised them to start wearing red bands to work from next week, while the members of the Petroleum Tanker Drivers have been instructed also to put green leaves on their tankers as a protest, preparatory for the commencement of the three-day warning strike next month.
“The union stresses that it believes that whatever goodwill the government has to encourage investors to come should not lead to job loses but, job creation.” a statement released by the union said.