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Tag: Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN)

  • Dangote/PENGASSAN: NLC mobilises for total lockdown

    Dangote/PENGASSAN: NLC mobilises for total lockdown

    The Dangote/PENGASSAN dispute is taking a turn for the worse as the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has directed all its affiliate unions to immediately commence mobilisation for industrial action against the Group.

    This directive is contained in an internal memo signed by NLC President, Mr Joe Ajaero, on Monday in Abuja.

    The order follows a dispute between Dangote Refinery and Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) over the alleged sack of over 800 workers.

    Ajaero said the directive was prompted by what the congress described as the Dangote Group’s “anti-worker crusade” against Nigerian workers.

    He alleged that the conglomerate consistently violated Section 40 of the Constitution and ILO Conventions 87 and 98, which protect workers’ rights to association and unionisation.

    According to him, affiliates are placed on full alert and must begin unionisation drives in all Dangote facilities within their areas of jurisdiction.

    “The impunity of the Dangote Group must be met with resistance. Each affiliate should establish an Action Mobilisation Committee and liaise with the NLC Secretariat within 72 hours,” Ajaero said.

    He urged affiliates to mobilise resources and members for nationwide action, stressing that unity of purpose and collective resolve were non-negotiable.

    Meanwhile, there is report that the Federal Government has convened a conciliatory meeting to prevent escalation of the dispute.

  • Association berates Dangote anti-workers practices

    Association berates Dangote anti-workers practices

    The Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria (ASCSN) has expressed displeasure over the anti-workers practices displayed by Dangote Refinery.

    The National President of ASCSN, Mr Shehu Mohammed, in a statement on Monday, said that the arbitrary dismissal of workers for exercising their constitutional right to freely associate and belong to a trade union was a gross violation.

    Mohammed said that the arbitrary dismissal of workers was a gross violation of Section 40 of the Nigerian Constitution and a direct breach of Nigeria’s obligations under International Labour Organisation (ILO) conventions.

    He expressed total solidarity with the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) and the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN), in condemning the unjust and anti-labour practices carried out by the management of Dangote Refinery.

    “Such acts are unacceptable and cannot be tolerated in a democracy. We, therefore, stand shoulder-to-shoulder with TUC and PENGASSAN in demanding the immediate reinstatement of all affected workers.

    “We support the call for an independent investigation into the refinery’s anti-worker practices,” the national president said.

    He commended the decision of TUC to place affiliates on stand-by for a possible national action should the demands not be met.

    Mohammed warned that if the matter was not resolved within a reasonable time frame, the ASCSN might be compelled to join the national action in full force, in defence of workers’ rights and to ensure justice was done.

    “An injury to one worker is an injury to all. No employer, regardless of size or influence, will be allowed to trample upon the rights and dignity of Nigerian workers,”