US embassy cable - 04ABUJA1837

UNCLAS ABUJA 001837 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV, EPET, ELAB, PINS, NI 
SUBJECT: NIGERIA STRIKE TO RESUME NOVEMBER 16, INCLUDE OIL 
PRODUCTION AND EXPORTS 
 
REF: A. ABUJA 1761 AND PREVIOUS 
 
     B. LAGOS 2107 AND PREVIOUS 
 
1.  This is a joint Embassy Abuja - Consulate Lagos Report. 
 
2.  The Nigeria Labor Congress (NLC) and allied civil society 
organizations met October 31 in Lagos, announcing that the 
NLC would resume on November 16 its nationwide strike against 
gasoline price increases, and threatening that this time the 
strike would include cutting off oil production and oil 
exports.  The first round, October 11-14, saw widespread 
compliance with the NLC's call for Nigerians to stay home 
from work, but was not aimed at oil production or exports 
(reftels).  NLC president Adams Oshiomhole told the BBC that 
the strike would continue this time until the September price 
rise is reversed. 
 
3.  Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC), Royal Dutch 
Shell's joint venture with the GON, filed a motion in the 
Lagos High Court to prevent the two oil-sector unions NUPENG 
and PENGASSAN from participating in the strike.  Shell argued 
that the strike is unrelated to workplace issues, and 
therefore illegal.  Hundreds of labor and human rights 
activists, including Oshiomhole, attended the court session, 
and the judge adjourned the hearing until November 18.  NLC 
leaders branded Shell "an enemy of the Nigerian people" and 
called for action against the company, according to the BBC. 
 
4.  One of the NLC's Central Working Committee members, Ben 
Upah, told us that the NLC plans to produce a more 
comprehensive list of demands by November 16, including a 
possible demand for wage increases of 25 percent.  He added 
that the NLC plans to disrupt oil production and exports, not 
only Shell's, and was holding consultations with both oil 
unions and others to ensure maximum impact.  "Though I do not 
want to preempt the outcome of our deliberations, however, I 
can assure you that we plan to hit this government (the GON) 
if we finally go on strike." 
CAMPBELL