TUC has threatened a nationwide strike in solidarity with PENGASSAN against Dangote Refinery.
NewsOnline Nigeria reports that the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) has announced plans to join forces with the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) in a nationwide strike over alleged anti-labour practices by Dangote Refinery.
TUC Secretary-General, Nuhu Toro, disclosed this in a statement on Sunday, demanding a public apology from Dangote Refinery for the dismissal of over 800 workers allegedly sacked for joining PENGASSAN.
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The union warned that no company would be allowed to trample on the rights and dignity of Nigerian workers, stressing that the action violates Section 40 of the 1999 Constitution as well as International Labour Organisation (ILO) conventions.
“The Congress hereby places all affiliates on standby for a national industrial action if Dangote management fails to comply with these demands within a reasonable time. We stand in full solidarity with the affected workers and with PENGASSAN. No corporation, regardless of size or wealth, will be allowed to trample on the dignity and rights of Nigerian workers,” the statement read.
At the weekend, PENGASSAN declared a nationwide strike and ordered its members to halt crude oil and gas supply to the 650,000-barrel-per-day Dangote Refinery.
In response, the refinery condemned the move as economic sabotage. The Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) has since called on both parties to embrace dialogue and resolve the crisis in the interest of national energy security.
