National Oil Union Asks Member in Chevron to Down tools

The National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas and the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria have asked all their members working with Chevron Nigeria Limited to down tool over the sack of some Nigerian employees working with the oil company.

In a joint statement signed by Prince Williams Akporeha, the President of NUPENG, and Mr Festus Osifo from PENGASSAN, the unions said “Chevron management was using the COVID-19 pandemic as an excuse to ease out Nigerian workers from the company while it continued to engage expatriates to do jobs that Nigerians were qualified to perform.”

The union also said why the management had notified around 2,000 employees last Thursday that their services were no longer required, it went on to encourage those still interested in working with the company to apply afresh. A move that suggested the oil company is only looking to cut costs by using COVID-19 as an excuse.

“We are against this imperialist agenda. We are going to check this manipulation. We have directed our members in Chevron to withdraw their services and call on the Federal Government to call Chevron management to order otherwise we can no longer guarantee industrial peace in the oil and gas sector,” it said.

On Friday, Chevron Nigeria said it would reduce staff strength by 25 percent in line with the change in the business environment due to the negative impact of COVID-19.