The strike action embarked upon by the staff of NUPENG and PENGASSAN has been suspended.
The union agreed to suspend the ongoing strike action with effect from Tuesday 20th October, 2015 pending the conclusion of the negotiations.
In a communiqué issued at the end of the meeting between NUPENG, PENGASSAN, TUC executives, management of Weatherford Nigeria Ltd and the state government, represented by the Secretary to the Rivers State Government, Barr. Kenneth Kobani with the Commissioner of Police and DSS present held in the office of the SSG on Tuesday 20th October, 2015 the following agreement were reached and signed by the TUC chairman in Rivers State Chika Onuegbu, Bassey Harry NUPENG, Azubuike PENGASSA, Weatherford Nigeria Limited was ordered to place on hold the letters of redundancy issued to 22 staff of PENGASSAN and NUPENG, pending the outcome of the negotiations with the Union bodies which must be concluded within 7 days of intensive negotiations.
The negotiation to be concluded shall be on the CBA, redundancy, overpayment, after the negotiations any staff whose redundancy is reconsidered shall be paid his/her salary for September 2015, if it is discovered that such a person was not paid in the month of September shall be restored back to work as if the redundancy never took place.
In the event the final entitlements previously paid to the recalled staff shall be refunded to the company within the first three working days of return. After the negotiations, those who are not reconsidered will be allowed to go on redundancy based on the terms and conditions reached in course of the one week negotiation, both the unions and management agreed that nobody shall be victimized as a result of the strike action, the permanent secretary, SSG, Director, DSS, the commissioner of Police Rivers State shall send a representative each to observe the one week negotiations to ensure that it is done successfully and in good faith, the aforesaid negotiation shall commence on Monday 26 October 2015 and end on Tuesday 3rd November, 2015. The venue of the negotiations shall be the conference hall of the office of the secretary to the state government.
In a chat with journalists after the meeting the Rivers State governor Chief Barr. Nyesom Wike represented by Kenneth Kobani, SSG who expressed satisfaction with the outcome of the meeting stressed that the state government intervened in the ongoing strike action because it does not want any citizen of the state to suffer hardship hence they intervened to resolve the unions and management issues amicably.
According to him, “the unions’ inability to resolve their disputes will cause suffering and hardship to the people of Rivers State hence we intervened to settle them amicably”.
Similarly, Comrade Chika Onuegbu the chairman Trade Union Congress, TUC, in Rivers State who expressed satisfaction with the companies and the Union involved in the matter advised all to abide by the lay down procedure and dialogue to avoid future occurrence of disagreement.
Other union members who chated with journalists after the meeting includes: Comr. Bassey Harry the NUPENG National Industrial Relations Officer, Comr. Godwin Oruba NUPENG zonal chairman who expressed satisfaction with the outcome of the meeting promised to abide by the agreement to ensure peace for the interest of the Union and the state. ###
Emeka Jilly Ejiowhor
