Universal Energy workers resist management, shutdown production

Workers of Universal Energy Resources Limited (UERL) in Akwa Ibom State, an indigenous oil exploration firm and operator of the Stubb Creek Marginal Oil Field, through its Unions, have expressed displeasure over its Management’s insensitivity to their welfare.

The Unions, Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) and National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG), said it was annoying that their sacrifices to sustain the company over the years were being treated by Management with disdain.

Speaking on behalf of the unions, the Assistant Secretary General of PENGASSAN Port Harcourt Zone, Comrade Tamuno Dappu, said there was a calculated attempt by the Management to force redundancy on their members, saying “just when we were ready to produce our first oil, the Management decided to kill the goose that laid the golden egg by bringing up a new set of employees to displaced members who have worked tirelessly and when they were supposed to enjoy the fruit of their labour, the Management, through an investor, SEPTA Energy, decided to bring in new set of people thereby rendering members of the Unions redundant. And this, Management did without consulting with the Unions in line with the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) as it concerns the Joint Operating Team (JOT) of UERL and SIPEC, a Chinese partnering company.”

“We have decided to seat in front of our company and refuse such tyranny to take place in a democratic and peace loving states like Akwa Ibom state, we do not want any company that is anti-labour to come and disrupt the good things. And until they renege on their stance, we are not going to allow any operation,” he said further.

Our investigation revealed that there was a move by the Management through what it called its ‘core investor,’ SEPTA Energy, to distort the organization’s structure by bringing in what the staff called ‘foreigners and non-indigenes.’

They chanted solidarity songs and also displayed placards with some inscriptions like: “Another Chibok tragedy in AKS. SEPTA Energy bring back our Universal Energy for Akwa Ibom Youths,”  “Seven Energy is on a mission to enslave Akwa Ibom people,”  “JOT is for Universal Energy and SIPEC and not SEPTA Energy,” “Respect our CBA,” “SEPTA Energy don’t short charge our members, UERL has only Stubb Creek project,” among others.

Speaking on behalf the Management, the Public Affairs Officer, Mr. Aniefiok Iwaudofia, confirmed the strike action by the unions and said that the Managing Director, Dr Chidi Chukwueke immediately convened a meeting between the Management and the Unions, where a communiqué was signed, and that normalcy has returned.

He said Management was committed to improving the welfare of staff and has agreed to enter into further discussions with the Unions on the contending issues on or before the 5th of July, 2014.

After the communiqué, which was signed by the Managing Director of UERL, Mr. Chidi Chukwueke; Special Adviser to the State Governor on Labour Matters, Mr. Godwin Udom; Comrade Tamuno Dappu; the UERL Branch Chairman of PENGASSAN, Comrade Edidiong Uyouko; the Branch Chair Person of NUPENG, Comrade Lucy Peter, and many others, was issued, the industrial action was suspended pending further discussion with the Management as agreed.