Strike action to be renewed

Nigeria's National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) announced on 28 July 2008 that it will renew its currently suspended strike. The union initially launched a strike on 11 July over rising diesel prices and low salaries, but suspended the action on 13 July when the government agreed to negotiate to improve working conditions. However, because the union's two-week suspension is set to expire on 28 July and no significant progress has yet been made on the union's demands, protests are set to renew on 28 July and are expected to be at full-scale by 30 July. No details have yet been released on the proposed union actions during this strike; the initial strike caused long lines at filling stations due to the resultant nationwide fuel shortage.