Under the auspices of the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) and the Nigerian Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff (PENGASSAN) the proposed three-day notice strike was postponed in order to allow the Federal Government to resolve the issues posed by the oil workers.
The employees threatened to embark on a notice strike from Wednesday 24 June to Friday 26 June 2020 to protest the attempt by the Federal Government to forcibly enroll its members in the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS).
The workers had written to the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Minister of Labor and Employment on Thursday, June 18, 2020, protesting the Federal Government’s decision to stop paying oil workers ‘ salaries in government parastatals are yet to be captured at IPPIS.
A PENGASSAN official said the oil workers’ unions had long met with IPPIS management over the matter without any headway. He also reported that the IPPIS was rejected by oil employees in the public sector. He added that it had told members “to be ready for any eventuality” if “nothing concrete comes from the Federal Government”.
The proposed strike, however, was delayed, allowing the federal government time to respond.
In a statement to oil workers employed by the Federal Government, PENGASSAN Secretary-General Comrade Lumumba Okugbawa disclosed that the union is currently in talks with government officials and would provide updates after talks are concluded.
He said, “Refer to our letter dated June 17,2020 on the above subject, which a copy was sent to you. The matter has been apprehended and discussions on going with the Honourable Minister of State for Petroleum Resources. The Secretariat will get back to you as events unfold.”