The ongoing industrial dispute between the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) and the management of Dangote Petroleum Refinery has taken a new dimension as the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) has instructed its affiliates to stand by for a nationwide action in solidarity with PENGASSAN.
The Secretary-General of TUC, Comrade General NA Toro, in a statement issued in Abuja on Sunday, condemned what he described as the recent anti-worker actions of the management of Dangote Refinery.
He specifically faulted the company for what he called the “unjust termination of workers for exercising their constitutional right to freedom of association and unionisation.”
Toro declared: “We stand in full solidarity with the affected workers and with their union, our affiliate PENGASSAN, whose members have been victimised merely for declaring membership. Such actions amount to a direct assault on Section 40 of the Nigerian Constitution and on Nigeria’s obligations under International Labour Organisation (ILO) conventions.”
He further demanded that the refinery’s management must immediately and unconditionally reinstate all the affected workers, stressing that anything short of reinstatement would not be acceptable to the organised labour movement.
Toro also stated that Dangote must issue a public apology to the workers and their union, alongside giving firm assurances that such acts of victimisation will never occur again.
The TUC also called for an independent investigation into the refinery’s labour practices to be jointly conducted by the Ministry of Labour, the ILO, and other relevant stakeholders to establish the facts and prevent future violations.
Toro warned that the TUC is ready to deploy its full strength nationwide if Dangote fails to heed these demands within a reasonable time frame.
He said: “Congress hereby places all affiliates on stand-by for a national industrial action if Dangote management fails to comply with these demands within a reasonable time. No corporation, regardless of size or wealth, will be allowed to trample on the dignity and rights of Nigerian workers.”
The organised labour also reiterated its resolve to act decisively in defence of Nigerian workers, emphasising that the dignity of labour and the sanctity of constitutional rights cannot be compromised. Toro stressed, “The TUC stands united and ready to act decisively in defence of our members and the Nigerian workforce.”
This development comes amid growing tensions between PENGASSAN and the Dangote Group following reports of workers being allegedly sacked for attempting to join the union.