The Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) has thrown its weight behind the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) in the push for unionisation of tanker drivers and other employees at the Dangote Refinery.
The senior staff union warned that it could shut down refinery operations if the lingering dispute over workers’ rights to join unions is not resolved.
Naija News reports that NUPENG had earlier announced plans to halt loading of petroleum products from Monday, alleging that the Dangote Refinery intended to bar newly recruited drivers of its 4,000 trucks from joining the union.
The move, the union said, was necessary to resist what it described as attempts to deny workers their constitutional right to organise.
In a statement on Monday, PENGASSAN’s General Secretary, Lumumba Okugbawa, declared total solidarity with NUPENG, describing the resistance to unionisation as unacceptable.
“On behalf of PENGASSAN, we are writing to express our unwavering solidarity with our ally and sister union, NUPENG, in their ongoing efforts to secure the rights of tanker drivers who are currently being hired at the Dangote Refinery,” the statement read.
The association warned: “Should the ongoing situation persist without a resolution, PENGASSAN will be left with no option but to join in shutting down the refinery operations as a last resort to protect our members’ rights and interests.”
Management Accused of Blocking Workers’ Rights
PENGASSAN alleged that since its inception, the refinery’s management had resisted efforts to unionise its workers despite repeated diplomatic engagements.
“All diplomatic efforts to persuade the company’s management have so far not yielded the desired result. It is with deep concern that PENGASSAN observes the increasing resistance to unionisation at the Dangote Refinery, as the continued denial of workers’ rights will no longer be tolerated going forward,” the statement said.
The union argued that total unionisation across the refinery and its allied companies was consistent with International Labour Organisation (ILO) conventions and Nigerian labour laws.
“The right of workers to organise and collectively bargain is not only a fundamental human right but also essential for promoting fair labour practices, ensuring safety, and upholding dignity in the workplace,” the senior staff union added.
It urged stakeholders to engage in urgent dialogue to avert disruption of operations.
“Failure to recognise and respect the rights of workers to unionise will have consequences that extend beyond Dangote’s refinery workplace, thereby impacting all facets of our industry,” PENGASSAN warned.
Meanwhile, the Minister of Labour, Employment and Productivity, Muhammadu Dingyadi, has summoned an emergency stakeholders’ meeting in Abuja to resolve the crisis and prevent a nationwide disruption in petroleum distribution, Naija News reports.
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