The Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria has warned the investing public against purchasing any assets of the Petrobras Nigeria Limited.
According to the senior staff trade union, Petrobras Management had shown lack of respect and regard for the Association as a viable stakeholder in the industry.
In a letter signed by the PENGASSAN General Secretary, Comrade Lumumba Okugbawa, the major industry agencies such as the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, National Petroleum Investment Management Services, all related Federal Government agencies, including but not limited to the Department of Petroleum Resources, all International Oil Companies and banks have been placed on notice of the risks in purchasing Petrobras assets.
PENGASSAN alleged that the company has been involved in anti-union practices such as severance of workers without due process, refusal to settle severed workers’ benefits and abuse of the Collective Bargaining Agreement.
It said: “The general public is hereby notified of the following practices by Petrobras Nigeria Limited in relation to PENGASSAN: Lack of respect and regard of the Association as a viable stakeholder in the Industry; unceremonious severance of our members in 2013 and 2015 respectively, following the unannounced divestment of 2013, without due settlement of their benefits; continued unilateral interpretation, and abuse of the extant Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) in relation to our members severance benefits.
“The refusal by the Management to honour several letters by the Association for engagement on issues that would affect our members following the proposed/concluded divestment of 2018 is against the extant labour laws in this country.”
The union alleged that the position of the Petrobras Management was a calculated attempt to undermine the PENGASSAN and continue the discrimination against Nigerians despite all the tremendous gains made in their investments.
It, therefore, warned that anyone who transacts business with Petrobras Nigeria Limited to the extent of acquiring assets of the company or part thereof should note that he or she will also acquire Petrobras liabilities as well, including the aforementioned issues with PENGASSAN.
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