A three-day warning strike by the Nigeria Union
of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers
(NUPENG), has kicked-off today, as activities at
fuel depots across the country have been
disrupted.

According to Punch newspaper, as a result of
the strike which is to protest against anti-
Labour practices in the oil and gas sector,
loading of petroleum depots across the nation
have been halted.
Speaking to a correspondent, an official of the
union, disclosed that the leaders of the union
would hold a meeting with the President
Buhari-led Federal Government by 1pm today.
While speaking on Tuesday with journalists
shortly after a meeting of the National Executive
Committee of NUPENG, the President of
NUPENG, Achese Igwe, had said though the
strike would commence on Wednesday, the
decision to continue with it would be reached at
the meeting with the Federal Government
delegation on Wednesday.

He said the strike became necessary in order to
draw attention to pressing issues in the oil and
gas sector, such as casualisation, job security,
non implementation of collective agreements
and non involvement of the union in the
ongoing divestment system by Shell Petroleum
Development Company Limited and others.

He said, “The NEC held a meeting today to
review the three-day warning strike that was
scheduled to take place tomorrow (Wednesday).
“However, as you are all aware, it is not an
indefinite strike; it is a symbolic strike action to
drive home some of those issues that are really
challenging, and to give them the ultimate
attention as expected.
“They have to do with casualisation, job
security, non implementation of collective
agreements across the entire country in the oil
and gas sector and the balkanisation of the
ongoing divestment system.

“NEC directed that pending the outcome of the
meeting tomorrow, the three-day warning strike
will take place. The Ministry of Labour has
called for a meeting with the Minister of
Petroleum.
“We are positive that the meeting will resolve
the issues; where it fails, the three-day warning
strike will take place.”