Barely 48 hours after it started a three-day warning strike, Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) on Tuesday night called off the strike.
On Monday, NUPENG had directed all its members at the depots to stop loading petroleum products for the next three days to protest the alleged inhuman treatment of its members by the management of Chevron, Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) and Agip Oil Company.
Another reason for the strike was also anchored on the refusal of Nigerian Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO) to implement the signed collective bargaining agreement with petroleum tanker drivers.
The decision to suspend the strike was sequel to a meeting with the Group Managing Director (GMD) of the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Andrew Yakubu.
The President of NUPENG, Achese Igwe who made the announcement said the body considered the interest of the public and intervention of the NNPC GMD.
The body also decried high level of insecurity in Nigeria, bad state of the roads, rising oil theft in the Niger Delta, non-adherence to guidelines on contract staffing/actualization in the sector and abuse of expatriate quota.
The NNPC GMD, Mr. Yakubu had assured that the three oil companies concerned will be prevailed upon to regularize the employments status of the casual tanker drivers.
