LONG queues witnessed in Lagos and its environs yesterday following industrial action by Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers, NUPENG, over industrial dispute with Shell Petroleum Development Company, SPDC, is expected to ease by today as the union suspended the action.
NUPENG had accused SPDC of illegal deduction of N4,896,000 from workers’ salaries without their consent, meddling into the affairs of SPDC’s branch of the union, especially giving support to suspended branch chairman of the union and preventing the caretaker committee set up by the national secretariat for the branch from performing.
The union had also accused the SPDC and the embattled branch chairman of anti-union activities in SPDC recent sale of some oil blocks.
However, the management of SPDC had denied any industrial dispute with NUPENG, saying: “We are aware that there is a dispute between national NUPENG and the Shell Branch of the union, which is the subject of a court case. The current court order is for all parties to maintain the status quo and SPDC is complying with that order.”
The suspension of the two-day action followed an intervention by the management of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, resulting in the signing of a joint communiqué by representatives of SPDC and the national leadership of NUPENG, yesterday.
Before the intervention, offices of SPDC, including the corporate head office in Lagos were picketed by NUPENG officials
Speaking to Vanguard after early morning picketing of SPDC head office in Lagos and intervention of the NNPC, Chairman of the Western zone of NUPENG, Comrade Tokunbo Korodo, said: “We have suspended all actions. That is, the picketing of SPDC and loading of products.
This is due to the intervention of NNPC. As we speak, members of PTD have started loading products. We did not want to punish Nigerians for the sins of Shell, but wanted government or appropriate authorities to call Shell to order. Now that NNPC has waded into the issue, we have no other choice to suspend the actions until further notice.”
The meeting by NNPC management led by its Group Managing Director, Mr. Austen Oniwon, and NUPENG leadership resolved as follows:
*Both parties agreed that the pending court case instituted by Fidelis Okandeji be withdrawn.
*NUPENG National commits to reintegration of Shell Branch of NUPENG and the affected officials of the Branch.
*Both parties also agreed to work towards the amicable settlement of the issues in dispute within one week from Sunday, 5th February 2012.
*Both parties shall meet in Port- Harcourt from Monday, 6th February 2012.
*Shell Branch of NUPENG shall suspend its 2012 negotiation from 5th-12th February 2012, to enable the mediation process conclude on the issues raised at the intervention meeting with the GMD.
The communiqué was signed by the General Manager; Human Resources, SPDC, Mr. C.I Gbandi; Group General Manager, Group Human Resources, NNPC, Mr. Chris Osarumwense, while comrades Igwe Achese, and I.O Aberare, National President and Deputy General Secretary, respectively, signed on behalf of NUPENG.