Most sensitive arm of the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG), Petroleum Tanker Drivers, may begin a nationwide indefinite strike from today considering series of failed efforts of the government over the weekend.
President of NUPENG, Comrade Igwe Achese had announced after the meeting of NUPENG Central Working Committee, CWC, in Lagos, last week, lamenting that all efforts to avert the strike had been ignored by government agencies.
He said the strike would have started penultimate Monday, but the national secretariat of NUPENG, pleaded with members of the PTD to shelve the action while its leadership sought for government’s intervention.
Key reasons for the strike include the refusal of the National Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO), to effect a renewal PTD members working conditions. Another reason is the growing threat to their lives if PTD members fail to maintain uninterrupted products supplies nationwide.
Achese said “The CWC-in-Session examined the various complaints and agitations of Petroleum Tanker Drivers members of the union over their deplorable working conditions with regards to poor remuneration, insecurity on the highways, poor state of roads, absence of conducive rest places on the highways and the excesses of some security agencies, most especially, the Nigeria Civil Defense Corps.
“The CWC-in-Session considered inhumane, the refusal of National Association of Road Transport Owner (NARTO) to commence negotiation with the union for the renewal of the expired Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) on the working conditions of our Tanker Drivers members in PTD Branch after several appeals and even ultimatum. The CWC-in-Session therefore resolved to give full backing to any industrial action the members in this sector might decide to take with effect from Monday, April 3,2017.
“The CWC–in- Session calls on the Federal Government to urgently intervene and apprehend the unfortunate situation to enable NARTO meets its obligations to Tanker Drivers.
