There was pandemonium at the Head office of Addax Petroleum on Monday as workers began indefinite strike action.
Addax petroleum is one of the Top 10 oil producers in Nigeria, the 2nd largest in Cameroun and the 4th largest in Gabon. It is a subsidiary of SINOPEC, one of the state-owned oil companies of China.
The CEO at the Ozumba Mbadiwe head office of the company, Colin Klapa was not allowed into the office by the protesting employees who locked the gates to the company. Other senior management staff were also refused access into the company premises.
The strike was called by employees under the aegis of Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) with the support of some management staff, over what they described as breach of Collective Bargaining Agreement reached with the union. The Union has earlier given the management ultimatum to honour the agreement or incur its wrath.
According to the union secretary general, the following are the key reasons for the industrial action:-
– unilateral interpretation of the subsisting collective bargaining agreement (CBA) reached between the union and management in August 2014 on issues bordering on activation of non-statutory remunerations to members.
– selective, targeted victimisation of union leaders identified as not working in line with management interest; stagnation of some staff for between 10 to 12 years, and discriminatory promotion of workers.
– allegation of culture of impunity against some of the union officials
– victimisation of union leaders, punitive transfers, and selective performance appraisal
The company has not officially reacted to this issue.
Addax Nigeria has been having running issues in the last decade leading to massive disengagement of their contract employees about 4 years ago. It has also been in running court battle with Federal Government of Nigeria over some reporting issues.
