The Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) has threatened to embark on strike action following the decision of the Port Harcourt Refinery Company (PHRC) to sack over 175 causal workers.
The union has given the management of PHRC 72 hours to rescind its decision failure of which would result in their downing tools.
The Chairman, NUPENG Port Harcourt Zone, Mr. Mina Samuel, who spoke on Thursday, insisted that the union would stop the operations of all tanker drivers as well as petrol station workers and others if PHRC refused to recall the sacked workers.
He described the action of the PHRC as insensitive, adding that it was unfortunate that the company chose a period others were protecting the rights of workers across the world to sack its employees.
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According to the labour leader, “it was unthinkable that workers would suffer such while struggling to survive the COVID-19 lockdown.”
He said further: “The Port Harcourt Zone of NUPENG may be forced to come out of its shell as a result of PHRC management’s action, to withdraw the supply of petroleum products within Port Harcourt Zone if the PHRC fails to reverse its decision with immediate effect.
“Consequently, the Port Harcourt Zonal Council of NUPENG is by this notice giving PHRC management 72 hours from today, the 2nd of April 2020, to direct its contractors to withdraw all termination letters issued to all NUPENG members in their employment. We advise that Port Harcourt Refinery management engage the union once normalcy returns to the state if need be.”
