…Alleges casualisation, intimidation, breakdown of CBA negotiations
From Tony John, Port Harcourt
The Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN), has directed its members to embark on a total withdrawal of services at all operational locations of Newcross Exploration and Production Limited, following what the union described as “arbitrary queries and suspension letters” issued to its branch executives.
Newcross operates many oil wells in OML24 within the shallow waters of Bille Kingdom in Degema Local Government Area of Rivers State, including Awoba North/West oil wells C, D, and E.
In a strongly worded directive dated April 14, 2025 and signed by Comrade Sere Nwikiabeh, Assistant General Secretary of PENGASSAN, Port Harcourt Zone, the union accused the oil firm of targeting union leaders and undermining collective bargaining efforts.
“The Association is constrained to direct our members to withdraw their services from all locations with immediate effect. This withdrawal of services is a proactive measure to actualize our core objective by ensuring the safety and security for our members’ job,” the letter stated
PENGASSAN vowed that the industrial action would persist until Newcross management withdraws the disciplinary actions and resumes the stalled Collective Bargaining Agreement, CBA, negotiations.
The dispute stems from queries issued to the branch chairman and other executive members of the union, which PENGASSAN described as retaliation for carrying out lawful union activities.
“We are in receipt of a written query issued to our Branch Executives in respect of their PENGASSAN activity,” wrote Comrade Regina Ewah, Assistant General Secretary, PHZ, in an earlier letter dated April 13 to the company’s Human Resources MaManager.
“The Branch Executives were merely carrying out lawful instructions given to them by the Association,” Ewah noted, demanding an immediate withdrawal of the queries.
The union further accused Newcross of deploying “intimidation tactics,” including using the Ministry of Labour to impose preemptive conditions on the union, inviting NUIMS staff to harass union leaders, and hiring third-party contractors to permanently fill roles traditionally held by union members.
“This casualization of work will not be tolerated by the Association in any way, as these roles are regular and permanent roles that our members have successfully occupied in the past,” PENGASSAN warned.
While acknowledging the company’s right to hire new employees, the union insisted it would not condone the erosion of job security for its members under the guise of casual labour.
“The Association is not against Management recruiting staff, but will not allow casualization of Nigerian workers,” the letter read.
PENGASSAN expressed disappointment over what it described as Newcross’ deliberate refusal to resume negotiations despite multiple entreaties.
“We have harmoniously related with the Company on all fronts. Unfortunately, we have realized that the relationship is being taken for granted as depicted by the Company’s recent actions,” the union said.
Copies of the strike directive were also sent to key stakeholders, including the President and General Secretary of PENGASSAN, the Commissioner of Police in Rivers State, the Director of the DSS, the Chief Upstream Investment Officer of NUIMS, and the CEO of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission, NUPRC.
As of press time, Newcross Exploration and Production Limited has not released any official statement responding to the union’s allegations or the ongoing industrial action.