Senior staff in the oil and gas industry under the aegis of Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association (PENGASSAN) for two days last week sealed off the entrance to the Operational Offices of Mobil Producing Nigeria (MPN) Unlimited to protest anti-labour practices and mass sack of over 74 workers in the Company.

In Lagos, the workers who were chanting labour solidarity songs sealed off the three entrances into the headquarters of Mobil House, along Lekki Epe Expressway, Victoria Island on Wednesday and Thursday.

Addressing the protesting workers in the two days picketing, Chairman of Lagos Zone of PENGASSAN, Sunday Folorunsho Oginni, said the union would not relent until Mobil management yields to their demands.

According to Oginni, after two days picketing, the association will change its strategy to ensure that the rights of Nigerian workers in Mobil Producing Nigeria Unlimited are respected.

He said: "I can assure you this is not the end of the struggle, if after this two days, the management refuses to answer us and negotiate with us; we are going to change our strategies. We are ready for a full-scale struggle against the management of Mobil Producing because we cannot be watching the management of a company trample on the rights of our members.

"We cannot allow a situation in which jobs will be taken from Nigerians and given to foreigners," he said.

Oginni stressed that the Central Working Committee (CWC) of the association would meet this week to review the current strategy before embarking on a full scale campaign to achieve their demands.

Daily Independent gathered that at Onne, the workers prevented the barges and ships from loading crude as well as refined products, while the union was able to secure the confidence of the community that disturbed them from outright picketing on Wednesday, for the sealing off of the premises of the company at Eket.

Meanwhile, management of MPN, operator of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC)/ MPN Joint Venture, confirmed to newsmen that some Executive members of PENGASSAN staged a peaceful protest at its Qua Iboe Terminal, Ibeno, Akwa born State, Lagos and onne in reaction to the separation late last year of some personnel by their employers, third party contractors based on business need.

MPN's Advisor, Public and Government Affair of Mobil Producing Nigeria Unlimited, Yemi Fakayejo, distanced the company from any anti-workers activities as claimed by the workers.

He said: "Mobil Producing Nigeria Unlimited is only a third party in the workers' grievances because the scenario playing out is between the employers of Contract staff and the employees of which Mobil will continue to prevail on the employers for peaceful coexistence to flourish.

"Already, some of the vacated positions are being filled by the third party contractors through a standard selection process," he added.

According to him, MPN has engaged the PENGASSAN in several discussions in conjunction with representatives of the contractors' forum.

He however said "The Ministry of Labour has intervened and decided to send the case for arbitration, while requesting all parties to refrain from any further actions in line with labour law."