By Victor Ahiuma-Young

Dangote Petroleum Refinery has accused the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, PENGASSAN, and the Trade Union Congress, TUC, of prioritising union dues and personal interests over workers’ welfare, following fresh calls by the unions for industrial action.

In swift reaction, the union said although the refinery’s investments are commendable, but it cannot change the country’s constitution because of the desire to maximise profits.

The Chairman of TUC, Oyo State, and former National Financial Secretary of PENGASSAN, Bosun Olabiyi, said in a statement that while Nigerians remain grateful to Dangote for his bold investment in the oil and gas sector, it would be unacceptable for any employer to attempt to deny workers their fundamental right to organise.

Dangote fumes

In a statement issued on Monday, the refinery described the TUC as “zombie-like” for declaring “full solidarity” with PENGASSAN and threatening nationwide strike action against its management, without making any effort to verify the claims on which the action was based.

The refinery noted: “We are told that he who hears only from one side and passes judgment without hearing the other side is a fool.

“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’.”

Dangote Refinery accused the unions of being driven solely by the desire to secure check-off dues. The company cited comments by PENGASSAN President Festus Osifo, who, in a recent interview, stated that the union had written to Dangote Refinery to begin remitting dues the day after workers allegedly unionised.

In its statement, the company dismissed both unions as self-serving and controlled by “oligarchs”, insisting that their real agenda is not the protection of workers but the preservation of their financial interests.

“PENGASSAN and TUC are two peas in a pod. They are twins from the same womb. Their interests do not extend beyond themselves and the oligarchs that run their affairs.

“The monthly check-off dues and other subscriptions and scams that feed their lifestyles are the primary concern and interests of these oligarchs.

“At least, one of them, Festus Osifo, President of PENGASSAN admitted that much on national television very recently,” the statement said.

The statement added, “During his interview, Mr. Osifo purported that ‘the workers’ in Dangote Refinery ‘unionised . . . on Monday and we sent a letter to them at Dangote Refineries informing them of the decision and asking the organisation to remit their dues from source, on Tuesday’.

“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.

“And on account of these monthly check-off dues, PENGASSAN and its collaborators and co-conspirators – one of whom revealed itself as Trade Union Congress – are ready to plunge Nigeria and Nigerians into utter darkness and anarchy.”

It further alleged that neither PENGASSAN, TUC, nor allied unions such as NUPENG have offered accountability for the funds collected from workers, and accused them of funding “lavish and opulent lifestyles”.

“Meanwhile, none of these Unions – PENGASSAN, TUC, NUPENG and its other unnamed co-travellers – bothers to give an account to their members and the Nigerian public of these monthly check-off dues.

“We only see the proof of these check-off dues’ payments in their lavish and opulent lifestyles. It is time Nigerians stood up against these enemies of progress,” the company said.

The refinery called on the Federal Government to resist what it described as attempts by union leaders to return Nigeria to “the dark ages” of energy insecurity and industrial sabotage.

It declared, “Dangote Refinery is a national asset that requires our collective protection and prayers.

“To paraphrase the TUC press release, TUC and its cohorts, ‘regardless of size or wealth’ must not ‘be allowed to trample on the dignity and rights of’ 230 million Nigerians.”

The refinery challenged the unions to publish their financial records: “Finally, we demand that TUC join its co-travellers, PENGASSAN and NUPENG in publishing its 10-year audited accounts.

“Surely, the workers in whose name they all purport to be working, deserve to know what the Unions have been doing with their monthly check-off dues.”

TUC reacts

Reacting, TUC cited Section 40 of the 1999 Constitution and International Labour Organisation, ILO, Conventions 87 and 98 on freedom of association and collective bargaining.

According to the Union, “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 expressed concerns about their welfare and conditions of service, which eventually pushed them to seek representation under PENGASSAN.

The Oyo State TUC chairman said that decision was within their legal right.

“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 explained. Read more HERE.

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