NIGERIA: OIL WORKERS THREATEN STRIKE IN RESPONSE

C O N F I D E N T I A L LAGOS 001088

SIPDIS


E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/19/2013
TAGS: ECON ELAB KDEM NI PGOV
SUBJECT: NIGERIA: OIL WORKERS THREATEN STRIKE IN RESPONSE
TO ALLEGED TRANSOCEAN DISMISSALS


1. Peter Akpatason, president of the National Union of
Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers of Nigeria (NUPENG),has
threatened to call "a national strike wherein the entire oil
industry will be shut down" unless Houston-based Transocean
Inc. rescinds the dismissal of 116 Nigerian workers who
participated in a wildcat protest aboard several offshore
rigs in April. The protesters held hundreds of Transocean
employees hostage, including twenty-one Americans, during the
two-week standoff.



2. In addition to the layoffs, Akpatason accused Transocean
of discrimination, citing the company's use of helicopters
to carry expatriates to oil rigs while transporting Nigerian
workers in poorly maintained boats. He said NUPENG is
"ready to face the consequences" as the union prepares to
disrupt the producing, servicing, refinery, distribution, and
upstream sectors.



3. Joseph Akinlaja, General Secretary of NUPENG, told
Laboff that he has been involved in private discussions with
the Port Harcourt zone of NUPENG regarding the potential
strike. However, he was surprised to learn that Akpatason
had already issued a public statement without first
consulting him. Akinlaja expressed concern that Akpatason
made the remarks out of anger, adding that a strike action
cannot take effect until the National Executive Council of
NUPENG endorses it.



4. Akinlaja and Akpatason departed Lagos for Memphis,
Tennessee on May 17 for a two-week workshop for union
leaders. Akinlaja said a NUPENG strike action in their
absence is highly unlikely.
HINSON-JONES