The Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) has threatened to embark on an industrial action following the sack of several of its members from an oil company, Fedoz Nigeria Limited.
The union claimed that the company had broken the current labour regulations by terminating the employment of four of its members who joined PENGASSAN.
A statement on Sunday by PENGASSAN Port Harcourt Zone Assistant General Secretary, Tamuno Dappu, said the affected employees were only exercising their rights as protected by Section 40 of the Federal Republic of Nigeria’s constitution.
Dappu informed the management of the oil and gas businesses operating in the Port Harcourt Zone, the industry’s regulators, and the security services of its intention to halt oil operations.
“We are compelled to inform you that the Management of Fedoz Nigeria Limited has grossly violated the extant labour laws by terminating the appointments of four of our members who joined our Association for exercising their inalienable rights as guaranteed in Section 40 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“The Management has also rebuffed all genuine efforts for amicable resolution of the issue (including the intervention of the Honourable Minister through the Zonal Director, Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, Port Harcourt).
“In view of the above, we are left with no other option than to direct you to be on red alert for an imminent shutdown of oil facilities in our Zone to press home for the reinstatement of four members whose appointments were brazenly terminated by Fedoz Nigeria Limited contrary to ILO Conventions 87 and 98, extant Labour Laws and the supreme law of the land- the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” the statement read.
