THE Presidency Wednesday continue its attempt at averting the planned nationwide strike by members of Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) over Mobil Oil Nigeria (NON) Plc, to protest the sack of all unit union leaders including PENGASSAN national Treasurer and other members by Mobil Oil Nigeria (MON) Plc.
Wednesday’s meeting Vanguard sources said would go a long way to determine whether PENGASSAN would order its members across the country to immediately commence an indefinite strike as planned, or demobilise already mobilised members.
Though the first meeting of the stakeholders held last week Thursday, Vanguard gathered recorded some understandings, the aggrieved parties (PENGASSAN and MON), appears to be singing different tunes on what could be regarded as the successes of the meeting.
Vanguard had Tuesday exclusively reported that the Presidency through the National Security Adviser (NSA) and Director of State Security Service (SSS) waded into the PENGASSAN and MON dispute in a bid to stop a potentially national strike that has the capacity of disrupting the operations and other activities in the nation’s upstream and downstream oil sector.
While a statement by PENGASSAN’s General Secretary, Comrade Bayo Olowoshile said, PENGASSAN had agreed to withdraw the pending action in Court in consideration and that MON would also without prejudice retain Union officials on payroll pending further efforts to resolve all matters in dispute between the parties, MON said the company had not made any commitment concerning the union leaders.
According to the statement issued by Comrade Olowoshile,: “After several rounds of discussions and consultations during the session, the meeting was adjourned with the understanding that: Mobil Oil Nigeria (MON) and Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) have agreed to pursue an amicable resolution of their disagreement.
Accordingly, PENGASSAN has agreed to withdraw the pending action in Court in consideration of which Mobil shall also without prejudice retain Union officials on payroll pending further efforts to resolve all matters in dispute between the parties. The meeting is to reconvene on Wednesday, March 27, 2008 .
But the External Affairs Manager of MON, Mr. Akin Fatunke told Vanguard that while PENGASSAN had agreed to withdrew the case it brought against MON, the company did not make any commitment on the fate of the union leaders.
According to him: “We have not made any commitment concerning the union leaders because the case is in court. Until they withdraw the case from the court there is nothing we can do or say because that would amount to pre-judicial. It is true that PENGASSAN has agreed to withdraw the case from the court. It is true that the meeting would continue next week Wednesday. But it not true that Mobil has agreed to recall the union leaders.