US embassy cable - 03LAGOS1088

C O N F I D E N T I A L LAGOS 001088 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/19/2013 
TAGS: ECON, ELAB, KDEM, NI, PGOV 
SUBJECT: NIGERIA: OIL WORKERS THREATEN STRIKE IN RESPONSE 
TO ALLEGED TRANSOCEAN DISMISSALS 
 
 1.  Peter Akpatason, president of the National Union of 
Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers of Nigeria (NUPENG), has 
threatened to call "a national strike wherein the entire oil 
industry will be shut down" unless Houston-based Transocean 
Inc. rescinds the dismissal of 116 Nigerian workers who 
participated in a wildcat protest aboard several offshore 
rigs in April. The protesters held hundreds of Transocean 
employees hostage, including twenty-one Americans, during the 
two-week standoff. 
 
 
2.  In addition to the layoffs, Akpatason accused Transocean 
of discrimination, citing the company's use of helicopters 
to carry expatriates to oil rigs while transporting Nigerian 
workers in poorly maintained boats.  He said NUPENG is 
"ready to face the consequences" as the union prepares to 
disrupt the producing, servicing, refinery, distribution, and 
upstream sectors. 
 
 
3.  Joseph Akinlaja, General Secretary of NUPENG, told 
Laboff that he has been involved in private discussions with 
the Port Harcourt zone of NUPENG regarding the potential 
strike.  However, he was surprised to learn that Akpatason 
had already issued a public statement without first 
consulting him.  Akinlaja expressed concern that Akpatason 
made the remarks out of anger, adding that a strike action 
cannot take effect until the National Executive Council of 
NUPENG endorses it. 
 
 
4.  Akinlaja and Akpatason departed Lagos for Memphis, 
Tennessee on May 17 for a two-week workshop for union 
leaders.  Akinlaja said a NUPENG strike action in their 
absence is highly unlikely. 
HINSON-JONES