Yemisi Izuora
Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) and Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) have raised concern and objection over reports of a looming sack of its members.
The rejection was contained in a joint statement by NUPENG president, Williams Akporeha, and his PENGASSAN counterpart, Ndukaku Ohaeri.
Labour accused oil and gas companies of trying to use the COVID-19 situation to rationalize, downsize, sack, introduce a precarious work system and reduce salaries and allowances.
The unions noted that while they empathize with the companies over the impacts of coronavirus on business operations and earnings, the route of arbitrary sack should be avoided.
“We condemn these moves and vow to resist them with all our might. It will further complicate the already impoverished state of the Nigerian oil and gas workers, their immediate families and others depending on their incomes for a living.
“We call on the federal government and relevant agencies saddled with the responsibilities of managing and regulating the industry to urgently nip these ugly trends in the bud to avoid any untoward and damaging consequences of the actions and reactions that may follow.
“The federal government and all its agencies are further put on notice that NUPENGASSAN might be forced to precipitate an action that will affect drastically the entire industry if this ugly trend is not halted and erring organisations called to order.
“However, we implore companies that are making donations for the fight against COVID-19, to also spare some kind thoughts for their workers and strive to keep them alive and on the job”, the statement added.