Members of the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of the Nigeria Shell branch in Rivers State have threatened to embark on an indefinite strike if the company fails to give workers palliative, following the economic hardship in the country.
It was reported that members of PENGASSAN made the threat during a protest in Port Harcourt.
The workers carried placards with different inscriptions, such as, “Provide palliative for workers”, “Unbearable debt burden on staff”, “No to less pay for more work”, and “Subsidy removal pains should not be on staff alone”, amongst others.
The State Chairman of the Trade Union Congress, Ikechukwu Onyefuru, who addressed journalists during the protest at the entrance of Shell Industrial Area, Port Harcourt, described the refusal to give workers palliative as, “racism against Nigerian Shell workers.”
Onyefuru lamented that workers’ salaries can no longer meet their needs as a result of the rise in the cost of living.
He threatened that at the end of the three days warning strike if the company refuses to address the issues on the ground, they will proceed to an indefinite strike.
“We approached Shell on June 26, to say, please, based on the value that we have provided, give us palliative. They said no, they cannot give us anything because they’re only going to negotiate with us in 2024.
“And we say no to all acts of racism against all Nigerians that work for Shell and all IOCs in Nigeria.
“No more racism, this will be the end of the road for them. Our demand is that Shell is bound by law to provide palliative, not just to Shell direct staff, but to all service providers.”
