KOMBOT threats: Chevron explains stand on job placements, restates commitments
Whereas the pullout order handed down to a set of workers on the employ of oil giant, Chevron Nigeria Limited (CNL) by a group, KOMBOT-Egbema & Gbaramatu Graduates Association, is set to expire tomorrow, Wednesday, General Manager, Policy, Govt & Public Affairs, Mr. Esimaje Brikinn, has reacted, saying “At no time did CNL represent or guarantee that it would hire the trainees at the time of graduation from the programme”.
The group had on Monday in Warri, Delta State handed the threat in a communiqué signed by its President, Yabrade Moses and Secretary, Asoki Victor Warebi, warning that failure to to confirm within 48 hours, the VTP5/OTP2, VTP6 Operator/Maintenance Trainees of Chevron Nigeria Ltd as permanent staff it will face a mass action that might cripple operations in Egbema and Gbaramatu kingdom which are host to CNL.
Another key part of their threats include the mass withdrawal of all Itsekiris on the employ of Chevron.
They further claimed that “The trainees are, since, overdue for conversion to permanent staff basis after 18 months, rather they are still being retained as trainees on the job as a means of cheap labour, for the past four years, which is totally unacceptable to us”.
According to them, “The trainees should be regularized as soon as possible to avoid the inevitable danger awaiting Chevron Nigeria Ltd due to the company’s management’s nonchalant attitudes towards the reclassification of the trainees as staff, the non-intake of the 2014 awaiting batch and other crucial employment issues”.
However, Chevron averred that “effort to sponsor eligible trainees for Operations & Maintenance Vocational Training Program (VTP) was in accordance with its goal to help build the skills and capacities of the trainees to become more competitive in the Nigerian economy,” will continue according to operational standards.
Continuing, Brikinn, in a response sent to Business Hilights noted that “Chevron Nigeria Limited (CNL), operator of the joint venture between the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and CNL (NNPC/CNL JV), is aware of media reports of threats by graduate representatives of Ijaw, Itsekiri and Ilaje ethnic groups from neighboring communities to Chevron Nigeria Limited to embark on coordinated industrial action against CNL in the next 48 hours if their members in the VTP5/OTP2 Operator/Maintenance Trainees working in CNL are not confirmed as regular employees”.
He revealed that for safety reasons, “CNL has reported the threat to its operations to the appropriate authorities,” noting that “The safety of our workforce and the communities where we have operations are our highest priority. We therefore take every threat to our operations seriously”.
In his further submission, the General Manager, Policy, Govt & Public Affairs added that “The trainees are contracted by the training provider, Prime Atlantic Cegelec Nigeria Limited (PACE), and each trainee has a contract for an On-the-Job-Learning (OJL) trainee position at a CNL Production Facility”.
“We will continue to hold discussions with the Delta and Ondo State Governments, Itsekiri, Ijaw and Ilaje community leaders and the appropriate Regional Development Committees (RDC) under the Global Memorandum of Understanding (GMoU) to reiterate our constraints regarding employment due to the current state of the business.
“The company reiterates its commitment, within available resources and opportunities, to continue working with its community stakeholders and other partners to maintain peace and contribute to sustainable community and socio-economic development,” he summed.
However, some of the community elders who spoke to our correspondent on Monday evening said stakeholders are making efforts to resolve the matters before tomorrow (Wednesday) as their communities are not in the habit of disrupting Chevron operations but healthy negotiations in labour matters.
A senior elder in the community who pleaded anonymity said “ I won’t say much because this is more of a labour matter because we hardly have issues in terms of community development with Chevron in our lands”.
