In support of the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers’ efforts to unionize tanker drivers and all other workers at the Dangote refinery and its affiliated businesses, the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria has expressed solidarity.
In response to claims that the Dangote refinery intended to prevent the drivers hired for its 4,000 trucks from joining the union, NUPENG announced its decision to cease loading fuel today.
“On behalf of the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, we are writing to express our unwavering solidarity with our ally and sister union, the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers, in their ongoing efforts to secure the rights of tanker drivers who are currently being hired at the Dangote Refinery,” said Lumumba Okugbawa, the association’s general secretary, in a statement issued on Monday, the 7th.
PENGASSAN said that if the issue is not handled, it might have to take extreme measures.
“As a last resort to safeguard the rights and interests of our members, PENGASSAN will be forced to assist in closing the refinery operations if the current situation continues without a resolution,” the association warned.
Despite multiple diplomatic attempts, PENGASSAN accused the refinery’s management of opposing unionization from the beginning.
We want to make it known that from the Association’s founding, Dangote refinery management has been preventing prospective PENGASSAN and NUPENG members from joining. The intended outcome has not yet been achieved despite all diplomatic attempts to influence the company’s management. The statement said, in part, “PENGASSAN is deeply concerned about the growing opposition to unionization at the Dangote refinery, as the ongoing denial of workers’ rights will no longer be tolerated going forward.”
In accordance with Nigerian labor laws and the principles established by the International Labour Organization, the union declared its full support for NUPENG’s demand for complete unionization throughout the refinery and its affiliates.
It proclaimed its unwavering support for NUPENG’s demand that all workers at the refinery and its affiliated businesses be fully unionized, not just those who operate petroleum tankers.
“In addition to being a fundamental human right, the ability of workers to organize and engage in collective bargaining is also crucial for advancing ethical labor practices, guaranteeing safety, and maintaining dignity in the workplace,” the statement continued.
In order to prevent disturbance, the union also called for immediate communication from all parties involved.
It called on all parties involved to have a prompt, productive conversation in order to resolve the urgent problems.
Failure to acknowledge and uphold workers’ rights to form a union will have repercussions that reach beyond Dangote’s refinery, affecting every aspect of our sector.
“We stand together to defend the rights of all workers and promise to assist NUPENG in this crucial endeavor. We shall all strive together to create a fair and just working environment for all Dangote Refinery employees,” the statement said.
To resolve the issue, Muhammadu Dingyadi, Minister of Labor, Employment, and Productivity, has called a meeting of all parties involved in Abuja.
