Former workers of Mobil Producing Nigeria have asked the management of the company to pay them N11.4bn compensation as their terminal benefits.
It was learnt that the over 1,444 affected workers were engaged as service contract staff by the company and later laid off in 2012 without commensurate entitlements as contained in the Collective Bargaining Agreement alleged to have been reached between Mobil and the affected workers.
The spokesman of the group, Mr. Godwin Idim, on Wednesday in Eket blamed the MPN for breaching the contractual agreement with its ex-workers regardless of all entreaties to get the company to honour the deal.
He lamented that some of their members had died in the course of the struggle to get MPNU to the negotiation table with a view to remitting the outstanding financial claims.
The CBA, dated July 1, 2010 and signed by former Field Manager, Human Resources of MPNU, Mr. Seun Oluwole; Assistant Secretary of NUPENG, Mr. G. A. Tasker; Chairman, Labour Contract, Mr. Ikohesa Ikohesa; Chairman, Service Contract, Mr. Aniedi Douglas, and witnessed by Mr. Victor Bassey, Mr. Godwin Udokop, as well as Jephter Jonathan, was made available to newsmen.
Containing in Clause 52 (c), it said, “Gratuity, 1.5 month’s gross salary per year served multiplies by the number of years of service. In addition, the employee shall earn all his or her accrued vacation benefits and any other allowance that may accrue to him or her.
“Notice pay-one month gross salary in lieu of notice. Ex-gratia-two month’s gross salary, pension and redundancy benefits in addition to end of service benefits shall apply.”
Idim, however, warned of the consequences that failure to pay former workers would bring to the company. He called on Akwa Ibom State governor, Mr. Udom Emmanuel, to wade into the matter.
Counsel to the disengaged workers, Mr. Jacob Udobang & Associates, in a letter had reminded MPN of the need to settle with the workers since the existing labour law (CBA) it signed with NUPENG and service contract staff on end of service in July 1, 2010 subsists.
