PENGASSAN suspends strike

Federal Government on Wednesday reached truce with the oil workers under the aegis of Petroleum and Natural Senior Staff Association of Nigeria with the union directing its members to resume work.

Recall that PENGASSAN last Thursday called out it members on strike over sundry issues in the oil industry.

Rising after a 22-hour meeting chaired by Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr. Chris Ngige, who stood for the Federal Government, the union agreed to sheath its sword to give peace a chance.

While reading a seven-point communique issued after the meeting early Wednesday morning, both parties agreed on all the terms and demands made by the workers, which includes asking Government to consider the state of the nation’s refineries and non-implementation of Collective Bargaining Agreements (CBA).

The communique also urged the government to apply the system of Integrated Personnel Payroll Information System (IPPIS)/Restructuring and Resourcing in Government Agencies and the explanation and work plan by the Ministry of Petroleum Resources with a view to reactivating the refineries were satisfactorily adopted.

According to the communique, the non-implementation of 2015 Collective Bargaining Agreements (CBA) in Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency (PPPRA), Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR), Nigeria Content Development Management Board (NCDMB), Petroleum Training Institute (PTI), and Nigeria Nuclear Regulatory Agency (NNRA) was worrisome.

The meeting resolved that only one agency was not yet covered and all efforts would be done by the NSIWC, Budget and National Planning Ministry to correct this effective March 1, 2015.

Furthermore, the Technical Committee constituted May 12, 2014 was reactivated to conclude the modalities for the implementation of IPPIS in the relevant agencies in the industry before end of October, 2016.

In response to the question raised on the restructuring in PPPRA, PEF, DPR, PTI, NNRA, PTDF, and NCDMB by PENGASSAN, Minister of State for Petroleum Resources affirmed that the restructuring exercise had been done in these agencies and no jobs were lost or will be lost.

Other areas of concern was the issue of Joint Venture Funding or the Cash Call Arrears, which was also endorsed by the parties, being satisfied on the new model of the new Joint Venture arrangement by the Petroleum Resources Ministry and the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) as well as the payment structure put in place to pay off the arrears of the old Joint Venture Cash Calls, which was inherited by the new government.

The parties said this will help the International Oil Companies to stem the tide of redundancies being declared in the industry and help address job losses of oil workers that would otherwise be put into the unemployment market.

The meeting noted with satisfaction the report of the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources that almost all the IOCs have signed into these proposals.

On other unresolved industrial relations issues, the meeting agreed that where Redundancy has been declared by some International Oil Companies (IOCs) without going through Section 20 of the Labour Act, Cap L1 LFN 2004, such companies should revert status quo ante bellum.

At the meeting, most of the IOCs and Indigenous Oil Companies that have laid off workers without passing through the due process of the law all agreed to comply and in such cases where the workers had gone on strikes or locked out by employers, the meeting directed them to unlock such premises while the actions of employers have also been put on hold to make for a free and unfettered atmosphere during the negotiations.

Negotiations not concluded with Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) were all deferred to Tuesday and Thursday 19 and 21 July, 2016.

The meeting thanked the leadership of PENGASSAN and the Headship of Federal Ministries of Labour and Employment, the Petroleum Resources Ministry and NNPC for their candour in dealing with the matters. The meeting also thanked the International Oil Companies and Indigenous Oil Companies that came to present their own case.

Based on the understanding at the meeting, and in view of the on-going social dialogue, the meeting urged PENGASSAN that in order to make also for an unfettered execution of most of the resolutions reached at these two meetings, the strike by its members which started on Thursday July 7, 2016 be suspended immediately, in accordance with provision of the Trade Dispute Act Cap T8 LFN 2004.

The meeting agreed that there will be no victimisation of workers by reason of participation in the strike, as companies who default this order, will face sanction.