Nigerian Oil Workers Threaten Walkout
尼日利亚石油工会威胁发动大罢工

Nigeria's senior oil workers union is threatening a nationwide strike to protest the firing of some of its members by ExxonMobil. Members are to meet later Tuesday, following the expiration of a 21-day ultimatum issued by the union to the oil company to desist from what the union termed "unfriendly" labor practices.

尼日利亚石油和天然气资深工人工会威胁说，他们将举行一次全国性罢工，抗议埃克森美孚公司解雇他们的一些成员。该工会的成员们将在星期二晚些时候开会。此前，该工会向石油公司提出的让他们不要从事不友好的劳工行为的21天的最后期限已经超过。

Officials of the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association have been meeting top government officials in Abuja to avert the planned strike.

石油和天然气资深工人工会的官员已经在阿布贾同高层政府官员会面，避免计划中的罢工发生。

Union President Peter Esele denied reports the walkout is to begin Wednesday. He says his group, one of Nigeria's two biggest oil unions, will attend a meeting Wednesday called by the government .

工会主席伊塞里否认罢工将在星期三开始的报导。他说，该工会是尼日利亚两家最大的石油工会之一。这个工会将在星期三参加政府召集的一次会议。

"I had a meeting with NSA [national security advisor] yesterday, and DG [Director General], SSS [State Security Service]. So what the government is doing is to call parties for a meeting for Wednesday 4:00 PM," he said. "But sincerely speaking, I do not know where the press got Wednesday for strike. One thing we said was that there was a looming strike. We have not, the Central Working Committee, taken a date for a strike."

伊塞里说：“昨天我同国家安全顾问、总经理和国家安全局举行了会谈。政府目前在做的是让各方在星期三4点钟召开一次会议。但是说真的，我不知道媒体在哪里得到星期三要罢工的消息。我们说的是，有罢工的可能，但是作为中央工作委员会，我们没有为罢工设定日期。”

The union is protesting ExxonMobil job cuts that affected about 60 workers, mostly union officials working at the company.

工会抗议埃克森美孚公司裁员影响到60多名员工，他们中的大多数是在该公司工作的工会工作人员。

Nigeria's main trades union, the Nigeria Labor Congress has endorsed the strike call and urged the government to intervene without delay.

尼日利亚主要的工会尼日利亚劳工大会支持罢工的呼吁，并且敦促政府立即介入。

ExxonMobil has rejected accusations of unfair treatment of the affected employees, insisting the workers fired under a reorganization plan received generous payouts.

埃克森美孚公司否认指责他们不公平对待受影响的雇员，公司坚持说，被解雇的工人将根据公司重组计划得到丰厚的补贴。

The union says an indefinite strike could blight Nigeria's oil production and petroleum distribution. Analysts say a walkout may have limited success in the short-term, because a skeleton staff may be engaged at production facilities to limit the impact on output. But it could prove effective in the long run if other powerful unions join in solidarity.

工会说，一次不确定的罢工可能会影响石油生产和石油销售。分析人士说，一次罢工从短期看可能只会取得有限的成功，因为或许资方会让一小批临时工参与生产来减少对石油产量的影响。但是，如果有其他强大的工会联合罢工的话，罢工从长期看可能会是有效的。

But even a looming strike could increase pressure on international oil prices. Supply worries are stoking up concerns in Nigeria, Africa's largest oil producer, where production has been crippled by unrest.

但是，就算是一次可能出现的罢工也会为国际石油价格增加压力。对非洲最大石油生产国尼日利亚的石油供应的担忧不断增加，尼日利亚的石油生产因动乱而被削弱。