PENGASSAN suspends strike

The Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff
Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) has
suspended its indefinite strike action embarked
upon to protest what the union described as
unfair Labour practices by the management of
Neconde Energy Ltd (of Nestoil Group of
companies).
The union are accusing the company of
entrenching unfriendly Labour practices in
contravention of the nation’s Labour laws and
failing to remit taxes and pensions deducted from
workers to government, while boasting that no
government official can call it to order, adding
that workers who decided to join unions are
treated as slaves in their own country and
dismissed from work.
Addressing newsmen after the meeting, National
President of the union, Francis Olabode Johnson
said the agreement signed between the union and
the management is subject to review after three
months to determine the adherence of the
company to the details of the resolution.
He said that the company has unconditionally
agreed to recall all the sacked staff and take
steps to allow their employees to be members of
the union, adding that the meeting also resolved
to address the anti-union posture of other
indigenous companies and their abuse of court
processes to stall resolution of issues.
According to him, in view of the intervention, the
resolution reached and in the spirit of the
Yuletide, the union agreed to suspend the strike
with immediate effect, while all members have
been asked to resume normal duties immediately.
The term of settlement made available to
newsmen states: the “Management of Neconde
was mandated to invite the sacked Branch
Chairman for a meeting with a view to
ameliorating the action taken against him and
with a total review of the termination of the
appointment and conciliatory conditions attached.
“Management of Neconde should create room for
PENGASSAN to be revived in the company and
report the outcome to the Honourable Minister of
Labour within three monthsfrom the date of this
meeting.
“National Secretariat of PENGASSAN and
Management of Neconde should ensure regular
training of Branch Executives in Labour
Administration and Industrial Relations.
Management should engage the services of
experts in Labour Administration and performance
appraisals for technical support.”
The memorandum was signed by the National
President of PENGASSAN, Francis Olabode
Johnson, and his General Secretary, Lumumba
Okugbawa, Managing Director of Neconde Energy
Services, Frank Edozie, legal consultants to the
company, Uche Val Obi, (SAN)​​​ and the Director,
Trade Union Services and Industrial Relations, in
the Ministry of Labour and Employment, Mrs O.A.
Akpan.