PENGASSAN DEMANDS OPTIMISATION OF OIL SECTOR FOR JOB CREATION

The Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) has said that optimisation of the oil and gas sector has the potential for limitless job creation opportunities that could make many Nigerians seeking greener pasture overseas to be engaged within the country. 

PENGASSAN, in a statement condemning the attacks of Nigerians and other foreigners in South Africa, tasked government to create an enabling environment and opportunities for gainful employment to encourage Nigerians to remain in the country, adding that checks should be put in place to reduce human and capital flights to other countries.

Read more @ New Telegraph

STIMULATE LOCAL REFINERIES IN 2015, PENGASSAN TASKS FG

The Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN), on Sunday urged the Federal Government to demonstrate commitment to stimulating local refining of crude oil in 2015.

The General Secretary of the union, Mr Bayo Olowoshile told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos that only domestic refining would end crises in the oil and gas sector.

Read more @ Leadership

OIL WORKERS NEEDLESSLY TORTURING THE MASSES, SAYS JONATHAN

The ongoing industrial action of the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASAN) and the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas (NUPENG) is a needless exercise that has more adversely affected the low-income earners than the rich, President Goodluck Jonathan has said.


Speaking in Abuja Thursday at the official flag-off of the Federal Government’s nationwide mass housing programme for workers in Apo, Jonathan said that it was unfortunate that leaders of the two unions decided unilaterally to call out their members on strike without recourse to dialogue with government.

Read more @ The Guardian

TOTAL E&P NIGERIA LIMITED CLARIFIES REPORT ON TERMINATION OF AN EMPLOYEE’S EMPLOYMENT CONTRACT

Abuja, December 15, 2014 - The attention of Total E & P Nigeria Limited (TEPNG) has been drawn to statements in the media allegedly made on December 14, 2014 by the National leadership of the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) that the three day warning strike is in part designed to press “for the reinstatement of the National Zonal Secretary of the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, Mrs. Elo who was sacked by Total E&P Nigeria Ltd”.

Following a routine corporate reorganization, 71 employees from Port Harcourt and Abuja including Mrs. Elo, were given letters of transfer to Lagos in August, 2014. Mrs. Elo received a transfer and inconvenience allowance of more than Nine Million Naira and then refused to proceed to her new location.

Instead of approaching the Company in which she was an employee, to re-consider her transfer, she complained to a number of external parties and agencies and invited them to intervene in a routine internal employer – employee matter. She sought to force a reversal of the transfer, citing her role as a Port Harcourt Zonal official of the union.

At the same time, Mrs. Elo absented herself from work without permission for over thirty days. Total had the option to summarily dismiss her for refusing to proceed on transfer and/or for absenting herself for more than seven days without permission, both a clear breach of the terms of her employment contract which she signed. TEPNG was magnanimous in waiting for thirty days before terminating her employment contract with full benefits even though she has not yet refunded the transfer allowance of over Nine Million Naira.

A Labour Dispute process was launched at the Federal Ministry of Labour by PENGASSAN who then declined to pursue this option. TEPNG supports this process which should be allowed to proceed to allow knowledgeable third parties to review the facts and make an informed decision with the participation of all parties.

PENGASSAN and NUPENG have been strong representatives of our employees for more than 35 years and we fully respect the rights of our employees to participate in union activities. We will continue to work with both unions in the interest of staff and the development of the oil and gas sector.

MANAGEMENT

For further information, contact:

Charles Ogan, Deputy General Manager – Policy, Media & Coordination

Mobile: +234 (0) 807 017 7073, +234 (0) 703 413 0511
E-mail: charles.ogan@total.com

OIL WORKERS BEGIN NATIONWIDE WARNING STRIKE

Workers in the nation’s oil and gas industry have concluded plans to commence a nationwide warning strike this Monday to protest against the federal government’s failure to carry out turnaround maintenance on the refineries and reduce the pump prices of petroleum products in line with the slump in global oil price.

The strike by the oil workers under the umbrella of the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) and the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) is also in protest against delay in the passage of the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB).

Read more @ Thisday Live

LABOUR UNIONS IN FRESH WAR WITH FG, IOCs

The two major labour unions in the petroleum industry – the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers and the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, are currently on warpath with the Federal Government and International Oil Companies over unresolved differences at a stakeholders’ forum held in Abuja on Tuesday.

The session which ended abruptly in the late hours of Tuesday, saw labour unionists walking out on government officials and IOC representatives.

Read more @ The Punch

JONATHAN INTERVENES AS OIL WORKERS’ULTIMATUM EXPIRES TODAY

President Goodluck Jonathan has ordered a quick resolution of the crisis in the oil and gas industry to avert the planned strike by workers.

The workers, under the aegis of the Nigerian Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) and the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN), had issued a 14-day ultimatum after their joint National Executive Council (NEC) meeting in Abuja on October 31, over alleged sack of members by Total Exploration and Production (TOTAL E&P).

Read more @ New Telegraph

NUPENG, PENGASSAN MAY PROTEST NON-PASSAGE OF PIB

THE Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) and Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) have threatened to embark on mass rally if the National Assembly upon resumption of legislative duties does not pass the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB).

Read more @ The Guradian

NUPENG, PENGASSAN THREATEN STRIKE OVER VICTIMISATION

The joint forum of the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas (NUPENG) and the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) yesterday in Enugu threatened to shut down the oil and gas industry in Nigeria if the constant victimisation of its leaders is not stopped forthwith.

The unions specifically lamented the sudden transfer of two of its officials, the Deputy President 2 of NUPENG, Mr. Asuquo Okon who works with AGIP from Lagos to Port-Harcourt and Mrs. Elo Victor Ogbonda, the Port-Harcourt Zonal Secretary of PENGASSAN who was moved to Lagos by Total.

Read more @ Thisday Live

DIEZANI, OTHERS SHUN HOUSE SUMMONS

The Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs  Diezani Allison-Madueke and leaders of the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) and Nigerian Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas workers (NUPENG)  Thursday refused to honour the invitation of the
joint House of Representatives Committee on Petroleum (Downstream & Upstream) and Gas Resources.

The meeting was meant to forestall the planned  nationwide strike by the aforementioned unions.

But the Group Managing Director of Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) Joseph Dawah, who also didn't show up described the lingering crisis is “an internal affair”.

Read more @ Thisday Live

NNPC WORKERS’ STRIKE MAY AFFECT OIL EXPORTS

The strike embarked upon Tuesday by workers of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) over unresolved pension issues and problems with the refineries may affect crude oil exports.

Spokesman for the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN), Mr. Babatunde Oke, said all junior and senior workers of NNPC are on strike over a disagreement with the government on pensions and problems with the refineries.

Read more @ Thisday Live