Nigerian oil workers threaten strike

Several Nigerian unions have threatened to strike over a labour dispute with Chevron, local and international media reported over the weekend.

The Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (Pengassan) and Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (Nupeng) have accused Chevron of trying to lay off thousands of local employees against the terms of their contracts, Reuters reported.

“Nupeng and Pengassan will not hesitate to embark on nationwide industrial action on this matter and we have already placed our members on red alert should the management of Chevron remain recalcitrant or adamant to rescind its anti-labour decision,” the unions said in a joint statement.

On Sunday, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation group managing director Maikanti Baru urged the workers to hold off on their strikes, directing the NOC’s management to work with the stakeholders to resolve the dispute.