In its statement, the refinery described the TUC as “zombie like” for declaring full solidarity with PENGASSAN without first seeking the company’s side of the story.
Dangote Petroleum Refinery has lashed out at Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC).
The company accused the unions of prioritising dues and personal interests over workers’ welfare.
This followed the threat by the unions to go on industrial action over its face-off with Dangote Refinery.
In its statement, the refinery described the TUC as “zombie like” for declaring full solidarity with PENGASSAN without first seeking the company’s side of the story.
“Unfortunately, the Trade Union Congress has placed itself in that position. Without hearing from Dangote Refinery, the Congress has passed a guilty verdict on the Refinery’s management and now parrots the PENGASSAN line, zombie like, calling for a national industrial action if Dangote management fails to comply with its demands,” the company said.
The refinery alleged that PENGASSAN’s true motivation was securing check off dues, pointing to a recent television interview where the union’s president Festus Osifo confirmed a demand for dues the day after workers allegedly unionised. “If we must believe Mr. Osifo’s account, and Dangote Refinery is not thereby admitting the accuracy of his account, the PENGASSAN oligarchs could not even wait for 24 hours after the purported unionisation before demanding for their monthly check off dues,” the statement added. The company further accused the unions of living “lavish and opulent lifestyles” without providing accountability for funds collected from members.
The refinery urged the federal government to resist what it called an attempt to drag Nigeria back to the “dark ages” of energy insecurity and industrial sabotage, insisting the refinery is a national asset that must be protected. It also challenged PENGASSAN, TUC and NUPENG to publish 10 years of audited accounts.
Responding, the TUC argued that no investor can override Nigeria’s constitution or international conventions protecting the right to organise. Bosun Olabiyi, TUC chairman in Oyo State and former PENGASSAN financial secretary, said: “No investor is bigger than Nigerian law. The Constitution is clear, and Nigeria is a signatory to global conventions that protect workers. Dangote cannot ask for an exception because of his investment. If Total, ExxonMobil, Chevron, Agip, Shell, Halliburton, NNPC and NLNG have operated for decades in Nigeria with unions, there is no reason why Dangote should be different.”
Olabiyi said workers at the refinery had long raised concerns over welfare and conditions of service, which pushed them to unionise. “For the avoidance of doubt, workers in any organisation, public or private, have the right to collective bargaining. Even if an employment contract says otherwise, such a clause is null and void to the extent that it conflicts with the Constitution and labour laws,” he said.
The standoff between Africa’s largest refinery and the country’s organised labour movement is intensifying, with both sides trading accusations as the threat of nationwide strike action looms.