By VICTOR AHIUMA-YOUNG

LAGOS—MANAGEMENT of Dangote Group and labour leaders in the food and beverages sector, yesterday, agreed to, within two weeks, resolve the protracted dispute between parties over about 250 workers of Dangote Pasta Plant, Ikorodu, Lagos State, who have been locked out for over three years for alleged union membership.

But leaders of the two unions in the sector, National Union of Food, Beverages and Tobacco Employees, NUFBTE, and Food Beverages and Tobacco Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, FOBTOB, warned that after the two weeks, should the management fail to ensure the resolution of the dispute, labour would declare a series of industrial actions against the group, within and outside the country.

NUFBTE and FOBTOB said the first and real step to resolving the dispute would be the recall of the affected workers.

Dangote representatives led by the Executive Director Communication, Mr. Tony Chiejine, assured that the management will do all that was needed to get the matter resolved, including seeking the personal intervention of the President of Dangote Group.

Briefing newsmen after a meeting with the Dangote team, leaders of NUFBTE and FOBTOB, traced the genesis to 2004 and unsuccessful efforts to get the matter resolved, including judgment of the National Industrial Court, NIC, which ruled in favour of the workers.

According to General Secretary of NUFBTE, Mr. Bamidele Busari, presently, the affected workers were being owed over 20 months salaries, lamenting that parties had agreed to settle the matter out court and signed agreement on May 11, 2010.