Nigerian Oil Workers Suspend Strike After Govt 'Commitment'
Nigerian oil workers have suspended a four-day labor strike after the government made what one union official described as a "firm and ...
http://www.africaeagle.com/2014/12/nigerian-oil-workers-suspend-strike.html?m=0
Nigerian oil workers have suspended a four-day labor strike after the government made what one union official described as a "firm and acceptable commitment" to address workers' grievances.
"Union leaders met yesterday through to this morning and we agreed to suspend the strike to allow for meaningful negotiations," Bayo Olowoshile, general secretary of the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, told The Anadolu Agency on Friday.
Olowoshile stopped short of saying, however, what exactly the government had committed to.
On Monday, oil workers declared an "indefinite strike" aimed at compelling the government to address certain issues affecting the oil sector.
Olowoshile had told AA on Monday that the strike aimed to "draw the government's attention to the issues reported to them."
The strike action also involved a second oil workers' union, the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers.
"The issues, basically, are the lack of commitment to refinery turnaround maintenance, the crude oil supply, and the issue of [static] petroleum pump prices as against the falling price of crude," Olowoshile had said at the time.
"We also have other issues that touch on the welfare of our members, such as unfair labor practices, arbitrary termination of employment by oil companies and government agencies, and the issue of workplace rights, which are being denied by a number of operators," he added.
Africa's top oil producer, Nigeria has four refineries that experts say are working at well below capacity – despite the annual allocation of millions of dollars to turnaround maintenance.
The country imports most of the petrol used to meet its domestic consumption needs.
One liter of fuel currently retails for 97 Nigerian naira (roughly $0.54).
Source: Turkish Press
"Union leaders met yesterday through to this morning and we agreed to suspend the strike to allow for meaningful negotiations," Bayo Olowoshile, general secretary of the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, told The Anadolu Agency on Friday.
Olowoshile stopped short of saying, however, what exactly the government had committed to.
On Monday, oil workers declared an "indefinite strike" aimed at compelling the government to address certain issues affecting the oil sector.
Olowoshile had told AA on Monday that the strike aimed to "draw the government's attention to the issues reported to them."
The strike action also involved a second oil workers' union, the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers.
"The issues, basically, are the lack of commitment to refinery turnaround maintenance, the crude oil supply, and the issue of [static] petroleum pump prices as against the falling price of crude," Olowoshile had said at the time.
"We also have other issues that touch on the welfare of our members, such as unfair labor practices, arbitrary termination of employment by oil companies and government agencies, and the issue of workplace rights, which are being denied by a number of operators," he added.
Africa's top oil producer, Nigeria has four refineries that experts say are working at well below capacity – despite the annual allocation of millions of dollars to turnaround maintenance.
The country imports most of the petrol used to meet its domestic consumption needs.
One liter of fuel currently retails for 97 Nigerian naira (roughly $0.54).
Source: Turkish Press
