• We don’t interfere in contractors’ internal admin – CNL

Oil unions in Chevron Nigeria Limited have described the alleged sack of three contract workers working for the company as unlawful.

In a letter directed to the Chairman and Managing Director of CNL through the company’s Joint Executive Council of the NUPENG and the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, they lamented the sack of three workers.

According to the letter, the affected persons, namely Bukola Sola-Adebawo, James Ukachukwu and John Ayeni, were contract workers for CNL through IESL, Candid Oil and Xepameadow, which are the company’s contractors.

NUPENGASSAN stated they had previously issued a 14-day notice for the reinstatement of the ex-employees but this was not done.

The unions said they made additional demands, including refunds of outstanding difference in monetary benefits, loans and grants “illegally deducted from worker’s terminal benefits,” owed vacation allowances and contending issues with contracting companies, CNL and employees.

They claimed the management had been employing tools to cut payments to the contract staff and full-time employees by casualising CNL’s labour force, which according to the union, was against the laws of the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment.

“The JEC has exhausted her patience over these issues and hopes that management will take the urgently needed steps to avert looming industrial crisis as no further notice will be given,” the unions said.

When contacted, CNL’s General Manager – Policy, Government and Public Affairs, Esimaje Brikinn, told our correspondent that the company did not terminate the contract of any employee of the independent third-party contractors.

He said, “CNL does not interfere in the internal administration of independent contractors working for CNL. CNL is not responsible for or involved in the engagement or disengagement of, contractor employees deployed by contractor to CNL’s work locations for the performance of services.

“CNL, in keeping with its commitment to resolving issues through meaningful dialogue and respect for the rule of law, is engaging the leaders of PENGASSAN and the contractors to fully understand their concerns and seek amicable resolution of the issues.

“CNL is a responsible and law-abiding company. The company’s priority remains the welfare and safety of its employees and contractor personnel deployed to its facilities and the security of its assets. We will therefore do our best to safeguard these interests.”

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