Nigeria oil union starts protests against job cuts

Baku. 12 January. REPORT.AZ/ Nigeria’s blue-collar oil union began a three-day warning strike to protest job cuts at oil companies including local units of Chevron Corp. and Exxon Mobil Corp.

Report informs citing the Bloomberg.

The goal of the strike is “a nationwide shutdown” of gasoline stations, fuel depots and loading bays, Adamson Momoh, a spokesman for the 250,000-member National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers, or Nupeng, said by phone from Abuja, the capital. The government is due to mediate talks between union leaders and oil company officials later Wednesday, he said.

Some filling stations in Abuja and the commercial hub of Lagos remained open early in the day. Exxon Mobil didn’t immediately respond to an e-mail seeking comments. Chevron didn’t respond to calls made outside office hours.

Nigeria’s oil unions have protested against job cuts by oil companies in recent weeks. Nupeng on Jan. 6 suspended a planned strike at a lubricant facility operated byTotal SA’s local unit after reaching agreement with the company.