By Tejiri Ebikeme
The industrial strike action embarked upon by the Nigerian Union of Petroleum and National Gas Worker NUPENG has been suspended following a resolution reached at the end of a conciliatory meeting.
A communiqué at the instance of the Federal Ministry of Labour and Productivity between the Labour contractors to Chevron Nigeria Limited and Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers, NUPENG, said Chevron and NUPENG shell meet to further discuss the issues and update the ministry on the 22nd of July 2015.
According to the communiqué, Chevrn shall facilitate a meeting between NUPENG and Labour Contractors in October 2015 to agree on the mode of negotiation of Collective Bargaining Agreement prior to the expiration of the current Collective Bargain Agreement in December 2015
The communiqué added that based on the union’s appeal, management agreed to consider the option of allowing affected employees to work until December 2015, while retirement clause shall be included in the next Collective Bargain Agreement.
On categorization of contracts staff, the communiqué said Chevron shall update the Federal Ministry of Labour and Productivity on the current position, adding that Angela Okonkwo’s case had been dropped and she had collected redundancy benefits, while Comrade Dada Shabi will soon be paid his monthly salary up to July 2015, alongside his redundancy benefits and other benefits accruable to him.
NUPENG said it has suspended the Industrial action immediately, adding that no official or member of NUPENG would be victimized by management for participating in the suspended industrial action.
The communiqué signed by management of Atlas Technical Services Nigeria Limited Paul Leonard, NUGA Consultants Ayo Elijah, Ken Narebor Chevron Nigeria Limited, NUPENG Senior Assistant General Secretary, Comrade C.U. Akpede, and Zonal Secretary Lagos, Philips Idogbe including Michael Onyejekwe, Ministry of Petroleum Resources and the Federal Ministry of Labour and Productivity, Mrs. Amalian J.E, said the conciliatory meeting was in pursuant to the resolution of trade dispute.
