The Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, PENGASSAN, has directed its members nationwide to join the ongoing industrial action declared by Organised Labour.
The strike was declared by the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, and the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria, TUC, to protest the battering of the NLC President, Joe Ajaero and others in Owerri, Imo State on November 1, as well as the pending labour issues in the state.
They had on November 7, resolved to declare a nationwide strike by November 14, if their demands were not met.
Besides the brutalisation of the NLC President, other labour leaders, and journalists, other grievances of Organized Labour include outstanding salary arrears, unjust declaration of 11,000 workers as ghost employees, unsettled gratuities, non-compliance to the N30,000 minimum wage act, and declaration of 10,000 pensioners as ghost retirees.
It could be recalled that suspected agents of the state and security operatives had descended on Ajaero alongside other labour leaders, smashing their vehicles, inflicting injuries on them and dispossessing them of handsets, money, ATM cards, among other valuables. The victims had gathered at the Imo NLC State secretariat to begin a scheduled protest on November 1, over pending Labour issues.
The NLC President, other national leaders of NLC and their TUC, counterparts, were at the NLC state Secretariat in Owerri to protest among other grievances, the backlog of unpaid salaries and allowances, Pensions, gratuities and non-compliance with the National Minimum Wage Act.
The attack, brutalisation and battering of Ajaero and others have continued to elicit outrage and condemnation across the country and beyond.
PENGASSAN in a circular by its General Secretary, Lumumba Okugbawa, to members nationwide, reads in part “Following the resolutions at the joint National Executive Council (NEC) meeting of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC), and further directive from our umbrella body TUC; we wish to inform you that all members across all Branches/locations in the fields and offices are to withdraw their services from Tuesday, November 14th 2023 “Branch Chairmen are to ensure full compliance in their respective Branches as this will be strictly monitored
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