Revolt At Warri Refinery: Workers Declare Indefinite Strike, Decry ‘Workplace Slavery

Support staff at the Warri Refining and Petrochemical Company (WRPC) in Delta State have launched an indefinite strike, halting operations at the facility in protest against what they describe as appalling working conditions and managerial neglect.

The protesting workers staged a peaceful demonstration, blocking access to the refinery while chanting solidarity songs and displaying placards denouncing their treatment.

The protesters vowed to maintain the strike until their demands are addressed.

Speaking on behalf of the support staff, their leader, Dafe Ighomiteso, claimed they make up 80% of the refinery’s workforce. “It’s disheartening that we are protesting against what can only be described as workplace slavery,” he said.

He explained that their demand for improved welfare dates back to 2015 and revealed that they have prepared a five-page document detailing their grievances, which will be made public.

“We have compiled a document—a compendium of our experience in the workplace—which we will release after this briefing,” he noted.

Ighomiteso emphasized that their primary demand has always been clear: “We are simply asking for fair working conditions.”

He lamented the poor remuneration at the facility, stating that cleaners only recently began earning ₦34,500 monthly, while support staff, including engineers and technicians, earn between ₦90,000 and ₦165,000.

He further highlighted their lack of basic entitlements: “We have no insurance, no medical allowance, no pension plan, no transport or housing support, and no meal allowance. We refuse to be treated like slaves.”

Some of the support staff, he added, have worked at the refinery for as long as 18 years. “We are not asking for the same pay as core staff, but we are demanding fair treatment comparable to support staff in other Strategic Business Units and Corporate Services Units within NNPC, especially in the oil and gas sector.”

He decried the continued casualisation of workers, noting that even though the law prohibits it, their plight remains ignored. “This country forbids casualisation, yet no one speaks for us,” he said.

Despite their grievances, the support staff reaffirmed their support for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration and its refinery revitalization efforts.