LABOUR ULC threatens to NUPENG advises on plans to shut refineries for repairs shut down Edo today
The United Labour Congress (ULC) said it will shut down business activities in Edo state today in compliance with the directive of the national body of the union to embark on industrial action over federal government’s failure to address its demands.
The State Chairman of the union, Eddy Ossai, disclosed this to journalists in Benin yesterday.
He said, “By tomorrow, we would shut down Edo State as no petrol station would sell because we would go round the city to put them under lock and keys. NUPENG, electricity union, Banks’ union among others are involved in the strike. We just pray that the federal government would meet with national body for dialogue.”
On the statement credited to the Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige, that the union was not recognised, he said the union was duly registered by the authority.
“We break away from the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), we went for registration and we were registered, so we are not going back to the NLC and as such, they should address our grievances,” he said.
While describing the statement as an aberration, he noted that the federal government can neither frustrate the union nor denied their right to go on strike as labour union if their grievances are not addressed.
“For us in Edo state, we take instruction from the union’s central body and not the Minister. It is only when our leader direct us to shelve the strike that we can stop it.”
Ossai appealed to the people of the state to bear with the union because they are fighting for the betterment of all. The Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) has advised for caution on the planned shut-down of the nation’s three refineries at the same time for complete overhaul.
The union, in a statement signed by its president, Igwe Achese commended the Buhari administration for the political will to rehabilitate the refineries but warned that it will not tolerate a situation whereby workers jobs are jeopardized.
It believed that the twounions in the Oil and Gas sector, NUPENG and PENGASSAN with other stakeholders should be taken along in the new arrangement in order to forestall industrial action.
It stated that the union had all along clamored for the Turn-Around-Maintenance of the nation’s three refineries but advised that it should be done in such a way that the workers’ jobs are protected.
NUPENG added that the planned closure and TAM should not be used for enriching some cronies because of the astronomical volume of monies that will be involved. The Union therefore calls for a monitoring committee to oversee all aspects of the overhaul.
The Union warned that it will not tolerate a situation where workers will be used as guinea pigs or eased out under the guise of a complete shut-down of the three refineries.
It stressed that the period should be used to train and re-train the workers to meet the new challenges that will be faced after the overhaul.
It added that the move is a good step in the right direction towards local selfsufficiency in petroleum products by 2019, but must be done in a manner that human capital is protected.