The Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers has threatened to embark on nationwide industrial action over the attack on members of the Nigeria Labour Congress during a Tuesday protest in Kaduna State.
National President of NUPENG Williams Akporeha said the union members should be on the red alert as they could shut their services “at very short notice if situation arises.”
The protesting union members were attacked by armed thugs in Kaduna on Tuesday.
It was the second day of the labour union’s five-day warning strike over the sacking of civil servants by the state government.
The statement read in part, “NUPENG, therefore, warns that if any harm is inflicted on any of the members of the organised labour, the leadership of the union will not hesitate to call on all our members throughout the nation for a total shutdown of all our services in the upstream, mid-stream, downstream sectors of the oil and gas industry.”
of dialogue and social bargaining for the benefit of the disengaged workers NLC Chairman in the state, Ayuba Suleiman, had said the unions were committed to the principle.
But the state government said the sacking was necessitated by its high wage bill.
Following the strike, Governor Nasir el- accused the NLC members of economic sabotage and declared their leaders wanted.
NUPENG said it was “deeply saddened” by the attack, and asked the Federal Government to “immediately call el-Rufai to order.”
“Consequently, the union reiterates that no labour leaders or workers as the case may be, be harmed, harassed, maimed, humiliated or victimized during this five-day peaceful protest in the state,” he said.
“Our union is raising this alarm following the very reliable report of the clandestine move of Governor Nasir El-RUfai to hurt and put the lives of NLC President, Comrade Ayuba Wabba and other labour leaders to danger in his usual blind egotistical style of running government in the state
“NUPENG, therefore, warns that if any harm is inflicted on any of the members of organized labour, the Leadership of the Union will not hesitate to call on all our members throughout the nation for a total shut down of all our services in the upstream, midstream and downstream sectors of the oil and gas industry.
“In the light of the above, we are therefore putting all NUPENG members nationwide on red alert and may at very short notice of five hours call for a nationwide industrial action if situation arises.”
The NUPENG president added that their solidarity with the NLC remains constant as it “makes us strong.”
The union already shut all fuel depots and filling stations in Kaduna over the strike.