PENGASSAN pickets Sterling Oil over anti-labour activities

The headquarters of Sterling Oil Exploration on Victoria Island, Lagos, was shut down on Monday as the leadership of the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria protested against the company’s alleged anti-labour practices, the oil union announced on Tuesday.

A statement by PENGASSAN stated that the leadership of the union including workers of the oil company gathered at the entrance of the company’s office as early as 6 am, chanting labour solidarity songs, saying that Sterling Oil management engages in anti-labour practices.

Members of the union were seen holding placards with inscriptions, ‘Reinstate Sacked Nigerian workers’, ‘Stop Collective X Bargaining Agreement Victimisation’, ‘Stop CBA violation’, among others.

Addressing journalists and union members at the protest, the President of PENGASSAN, Festus Osifo, criticised the management of Sterling Oil for abusing the expatriate quota system, which led to discrimination against skilled Nigerian workers in the oil and gas sector.

Osifo highlighted what he termed as discriminatory practices by the company, who, according to him, are monopolising jobs that Nigerians are qualified to perform with the Indian nationals

He alleged that members of the union working in Sterling had been subjugated and described their welfare as abysmal.

Osifo said, “Our members in Sterling have been pushed to the background; they should tell us how many Nigerians are working in Sterling Oil today that are managers.

“They should tell us how many Nigerians today are working in Sterling Oil that are general managers. However, when you go to other international oil and gas companies, you have Nigerians even as managing directors, deputy managing directors, executive general managers, general managers and so on.”

Osifo said that the picket was the first in the series of activities that would be happening and if plans to arrive at an agreement failed, it would continue until there is a resolution.

He therefore called on the government to urgently intervene in the matter.

“If this is not corrected, this has a propensity of leading to a national strike, where we will call out our members across the nook and cranny of the oil and gas industry in Nigeria.

“Also, remember, the oppressions of the entire oil and gas industry in Nigeria is manned by our members, and we will call them out; the entire oppressions will be grounded. So, the government must act, and the time to act is now, “ Osifo said.

Responding, the company, through a communique signed by the management, said all workers have been directed to work from home pending the time the issue will be resolved. The company added that the issue will be addressed very soon.