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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
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| Nigeria oil unions stage strike | Nigeria oil unions stage strike |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| A three-day strike by Nigerian oil workers has had some impact on production whilst queues are being reported at petrol stations. | |
| Union officials say thousands of oil workers have obeyed the order to stay away from work protesting at insecurity in the oil-producing Niger Delta. | Union officials say thousands of oil workers have obeyed the order to stay away from work protesting at insecurity in the oil-producing Niger Delta. |
| They want the government to do more to protect workers in the region from attacks and abductions by armed groups. | They want the government to do more to protect workers in the region from attacks and abductions by armed groups. |
| On Tuesday a Nigerian oil worker was killed in an attack on a supply ship. | On Tuesday a Nigerian oil worker was killed in an attack on a supply ship. |
| Reports suggest the unions and government are holding more meetings to try and end the action. | Reports suggest the unions and government are holding more meetings to try and end the action. |
| Nigeria is the world's eighth largest producer of crude oil. | Nigeria is the world's eighth largest producer of crude oil. |
| A shipping agent told Reuters news agency that tanker loadings were suspended at two major terminals, Brass River and Escravos. | |
| But industry officials said operations appeared to continue normally at other ports. | |
| "We are working to maintain production at normal levels," said Exxon spokeswoman Gloria Essien. | |
| Protest | Protest |
| The unions told thousands of their workers not to work for three days as a warning to the government to do more to stop attacks on the oil industry by armed groups. | The unions told thousands of their workers not to work for three days as a warning to the government to do more to stop attacks on the oil industry by armed groups. |
| This year there have been a string of raids on oil installations and kidnappings of oil workers. On Tuesday a Nigerian oil worker was killed in an attack by pirates on a ship operated by an American oil services company. Two others were injured, Chevron announced.. | This year there have been a string of raids on oil installations and kidnappings of oil workers. On Tuesday a Nigerian oil worker was killed in an attack by pirates on a ship operated by an American oil services company. Two others were injured, Chevron announced.. |
| Last month, an employee for Shell who had been held hostage was killed in a shoot-out between troops and militants. | Last month, an employee for Shell who had been held hostage was killed in a shoot-out between troops and militants. |
| The unions say their strike is targeted against the government rather than the oil companies working in the Delta. | The unions say their strike is targeted against the government rather than the oil companies working in the Delta. |
| There have been talks among the parties about limiting the strike's impact on oil production. | There have been talks among the parties about limiting the strike's impact on oil production. |
| The BBC's Alex Last in Nigeria says that in past stoppages, the oil companies have used a few key staff and non-unionised workers to keep the oil flowing but a prolonged strike could have consequences. | The BBC's Alex Last in Nigeria says that in past stoppages, the oil companies have used a few key staff and non-unionised workers to keep the oil flowing but a prolonged strike could have consequences. |
| Nigeria is Africa's largest oil producer but its output is already down by more than a quarter as a result of militant attacks and pipeline leaks. | Nigeria is Africa's largest oil producer but its output is already down by more than a quarter as a result of militant attacks and pipeline leaks. |
| This has contributed to the high global price of crude oil and despite government pledges to take a tough line with the armed groups there are fears of continued insecurity in the oil producing region in the run-up to Nigeria's elections next year, he says. | This has contributed to the high global price of crude oil and despite government pledges to take a tough line with the armed groups there are fears of continued insecurity in the oil producing region in the run-up to Nigeria's elections next year, he says. |