DEMAND fair treatment from CHEVRON
By Emmanuel Abi Couson
The workers under the Ugborodo Intercontinental Services Limited (UISL) a contracting company to Chevron Nigeria Ltd in Ugborodo community, Escravos in Warri South West Local Government Area of Delta State are protesting against what appears to be a deliberate plot to deprive them of their legitimate entitlements and benefits contrary to what other workers in Chevron and other contractors are benefitting.
It is common knowledge that every worker working within, around and inside the various Chevron facilities particularly inside the Escravos Tankfarm and EGTL, experience the same hazards and risks other workers in other contracting companies and Chevron staff experience on daily basis.
The UISL workers also suffer the same harsh and unbearable economic realities currently going on in Nigeria. The workers attend the same markets, visit the same hospitals and clinics with their family members and loved ones when they are sick just like other workers are doing with the attendant high cost of transportation either by road or by water to come to work.
The UISL workers are also aware of the fact that for each contractor working in the Tankfarm, there are provisions in the terms and agreements of employment for bonuses forall public holidays and a end of contract bonus that usually comes at the end of every year.
To the greatest surprise of the UISL workers, there exist a discriminatory policy put in place by the management of UISL or Chevron to perpetually deny and deprive the community workers from Ugborodo community these benefits thereby subjecting them to unjust and unfair industrial practices contrary to all local and international employment and labour conventions which Nigeria is signatory to.
After making various demands to the management of UISL and Chevron to stop this discrimination, the workers made a written proposal dated 24th December, 2024 to them again asking for the following
* Medical allowances for them and their loved ones just like what others are benefitting.
* Provision of transportation to UISL workers on daily basis to and fro work.
* 200% for working on public holidays.
* End of year contract bonus of one month salary each December.
* A normal work rotation for time off just like other workers in the Tankfarm. Etc.
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Since these modest demands were made, the management of UISL and Chevron has completely ignored the demands of the workers.
Haven’t suffered so much pains and deprivations in the same working environment where those from elsewhere doing the same job like them are having all the benefits mentioned above,the emotional trauma and frustration of witnessing this kind of slavery and inhuman treatment has made the workers to cry out by adopting a peaceful protest to draw the attention of the management of UISL and Chevron and indeed the whole world to their pains in their own fatherland and country.
The UISL workers are therefore calling on their management and by extension, Chevron Nigeria Ltd to immediately look into these legitimate demands. The workers want a better condition to perform their work.
The condition must be on a just, equitable and fair basis just like other workers are enjoying.
Attending to these demands and proposals from the UISL workers is the only thing that will bring a permanent peace and an end to the peaceful protest.
