NIGERIA Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers, NUPENG, yesterday, crippled loading activities at Total Nig Plc depots nationwide, over termination of workers appointments.
Alhaji Tokunbo Korodo, South-West Chairman of the union, said the management of Total had been resisting the unionisation of workers under its contract programme in Lagos, Kaduna and Koko in Delta blending plants.
Korodo lamented that the management of Total had moved further in terminate the employment of workers, who had joined the union despite the union efforts aimed at resolving the issue amicably.
According to him: “In view of this, the union has directed all workers in Total Downstream to stop work until the management allows workers to unionise and slave labour introduced are cancelled. This action should commence immediately.”
In compliance to the directives, workers at Total Blending Plant in Kirikiri, Apapa blocked the gate with two tankers yesterday.
The workers were seen with various placards with inscriptions, such as: “Nigerians enslaving Nigerians in Nigeria, Total and Jomog want to sack us because we joined NUPENG.”
However, after several hours of a meeting involving the union, the management of Total management and its contractors, the union agreed to call off the action.
Speaking to Vanguard at the end of the meeting.
Alhaji Korodu said the management of Total had agreed to not only recall the sacked workers, but to accept full unionisation of its contract staff without victimisation, among other agreements