Oil workers picketed the offices of Shell Petroleum Development Company and Chevron Nigeria Limited, yesterday, over potential plans to cut jobs amid union demands for temporary employees to be given permanent appointments.
An official of Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers, NUPENG, Tokunbo Korodo, said: "The offices of Shell and Chevron in Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt and Warri have been blocked by our members. No worker is allowed into the premises."
He said that the picketing of the two firms, which began Monday, would continue "until the management heeds our demands to scrap their anti-labour practices."
Korodo said the union's action had affected only administrative operations in the two companies.
Shell, in a statement, denied allegations of anti-union policies and said that affected workers were being compensated.
It said: "We are currently divesting from a number of our assets in Western Niger Delta as agreed by joint venture partners and approved by the Federal Government.
"This is part of a portfolio realignment exercise that will also help to grow indigenous capacity in the oil and gas industry," it added.
Chevron officials were not immediately available for comment.
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