A nationwide strike is on the horizon as the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) fully backs the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) in its threat to halt operations across the country in response to the alleged use of military personnel to forcefully remove workers from the Oritsetimeyin oil rig.

Specifically, NLC has threatened to escalate its response to the dispute should these unacceptable actions of breach of agreements and the use of military and other security agencies to interfere in industrial relations matters continue.

There has been a lingering industrial dispute between the owners of the Oritsetimeyin oil rig and NUPENG over an alleged breach of the agreements freely entered into by the two parties.

NUPENG had earlier in the week petitioned the Federal Government, including the heads of the nation’s security agencies, warning of the consequences of using military personnel and others to evacuate or eject its members and side employers, refusing to honour agreements freely entered into by parties.

But on Thursday’s morning, a special naval personnel team was allegedly flown into the Oritsetimeyin oil rig to eject the workers.

Following the incident, NUPENG has threatened to declare a nationwide strike if the government fails to call both the management of the oil rig and the security personnel involved to order.

An official of NUPENG had on Thursday told Vanguard that “we are already sensitising and mobilising our members for a nationwide strike. The authorities cannot be aiding employers to breach agreements freely entered into with Labour. We cannot accept this. The earlier the management is called to order, the better. If not, we will be forced to declare a national strike to safeguard the interests of our members.”

Consequently, NLC, in a statement by its president, Joe Ajaero, among others, said, “NLC stands in unequivocal solidarity with the NUPENG in condemning the deployment of military and security operatives to forcefully evacuate NUPENG members from their work site on the Oritsetimeyin oil rig. 

“This disturbing action, reportedly orchestrated by certain corporate interests, is a direct affront to the principles of democracy and industrial relations, which demand respect for workers’ rights and the sanctity of negotiated agreements.

“The use of the army in Oritsetimeyin oil rig is an abuse of the instruments of state security as it runs counter to the dictates of unfettered workplaces free from all forms of coercion. It should be noted that we cannot accept the militarization of our workplaces. 

“It is counterproductive and very capable of contaminating the nation’s workplaces, which may lead to further crippling and undermining an already troubled economy.

“According to NUPENG, workers were subjected to unlawful eviction due to their rightful demand for the implementation of agreements reached and signed with their employers. This agreement, which included severance benefits for workers, was established through multiple mediatory meetings convened by the Nigeria Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) in the presence of the Department of State Services (DSS). 

“It is therefore alarming that Dutchford E&P, Selective Marine Services, and their labour contractors have chosen to ignore these legally binding agreements and instead opt for intimidation and coercion through the use of armed forces.

“The NLC calls on the Nigerian Military, the National Security Adviser (NSA), the Director-General of the DSS, and the Federal Government to urgently intervene to prevent further harassment and displacement of NUPENG members. This matter is strictly an industrial relations issue and does not warrant the involvement of military personnel, who should focus on protecting the nation rather than being employed as enforcers for corporate agendas. 

“The realisation of the sensitive nature of the world of work made it imperative for our nation to create special processes for handling workplace-related matters, which are encoded in our various statutes.

“The tenets of these industrial relations extant statutes must be allowed full expression by all parties to avoid creating a situation of anomie that will further harm our nation’s economy.

“We reiterate our unwavering support for NUPENG and will not hesitate to escalate our response should these unacceptable actions continue. The protection of workers’ rights and their safety remains our utmost priority, and we call on the nation’s gatekeepers to immediately speak up before the situation degenerates.

“The Nigeria Labour Congress acknowledges the dedication and sacrifices of the Nigerian military and security agencies in safeguarding our nation. However, we remind them that their mandate is the defence of our country’s sovereignty and people, not the suppression of workers’ legitimate demands.”