Nigerian oil unions take on Shell in build-up to general strike

Lagos (AFP)--1Nov2004

Nigerian unions clashed in court with Shell Monday as the labor movement
flexed its muscles ahead of a nationwide general strike, which its leaders
have warned will disrupt key oil exports. The Nigeria Labour Congress and a
coalition of civil society bodies have called on workers to launch an
indefinite stoppage from Nov 16 in protest against rising fuel prices and
President Olusegun Obasanjo's economic reforms. 

Campaigning is due to get off to a rowdy start on Wednesday when the strike
coalition is to stage a street rally in Lagos which will be followed by
similar protests around the country, said NLC mobilization officer Denja
Yacqub. But first, union leaders went to court to see off a separate challenge
from Shell, the country's biggest oil producer, which was seeking an
injunction to prevent its workers going on strike to oppose imminent job
losses.

Shell's approach to the Federal High Court in Lagos was an attempt to add
legal weight to its bid to force through a restructuring plan which is
expected to lead to large-scale job losses in its Nigerian subsidiary. But the
timing of its move was unfortunate, as its own battle with the unions became
drawn into the national struggle and labor leaders descended on the court
house to denounce the firm's alleged strong-arm tactics. "Shell does not have
the muscle to control our people, even if it controls our political leaders,"
stormed NLC president Adams Oshiomhole, who on Sunday had dubbed the
Anglo-Dutch major an "enemy of the Nigerian people." "If you really want the
government to listen to you then the oil sector must be carried along in your
struggle," he urged workers. Oil revenues account for 95% of Nigeria's foreign
earnings. In court, Shell's lawyers argued that staff belonging to the two
main oil unions Nupeng and Pengassan had signed contracts pledging not to
strike until all avenues of discussion with management had been used up.

Pengassan president Brown Ogbeifun said that workers did not trust Shell not
to cut jobs and that they reserved the right to strike not only over that but
also in support of the NLC's broader nationwide conflict over fuel prices. "If
our members feel like joining the strike, we will," he said, after a hearing
in which the judge had adjourned hearings until Nov 18, two days after the
general strike is due to begin. Shell spokesmen were unavailable for comment.
Labour has demanded that Obasanjo reintroduce subsidies and a price cap in
order to cut the pump price of gasoline and diesel back to its level on Sep
23, when it jumped by 25% to Naira 55 ($0.40)/liter. But the government
insists that fuel deregulation is a key plank of its reform program and has
refused to do more than soften the impact of the price hike by cutting tax on
public transport and offering cheap loans to road hauliers.

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