The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has directed all its affiliate unions to immediately commence mobilisation and preparations for industrial action against the Dangote Group.
The directive issued in an internal memo signed by NLC president, Joe Ajaero, on Monday accused the Dangote Refinery of violating Nigeria’s labour laws, the constitution, and International Labour Organisation conventions by dismissing workers for joining the association.
It alleged that the Dangote Group facilities are ‘plantations of exploitation’ where workers’ dignity is crushed to maximise profits.
The union said the time for ‘pleading and endless, fruitless dialogue is over, adding that the moment for decisive, collective action is now.
“The Dangote Group has operated for too long as a state within a state, flouting Section 40 of our Constitution, violating ILO Conventions 87 and 98, and treating our national labour laws with contempt. Their facilities are not workplaces but plantations of exploitation, where the dignity of the worker is systematically crushed to maximise profit for the few.
“The time for pleading and endless, fruitless dialogue is over. The moment for decisive, collective action is now. Consequently, we have resolved as follows: Request for total mobilisation of all unions and workers. All aforementioned affiliate unions are hereby placed on immediate and full alert. You are requested to commence, with immediate effect, preparation for a vigorous and comprehensive unionisation of all workers within every Dangote Group facility falling under your jurisdiction. This is a strategic priority,” the letter reads.
It urged members to mobilise “resources for a full-scale, decisive engagement against the Dangote Group’s anti-labour stance”, in order to “compel the conglomerate to: unconditionally respect the right of every worker to freely join a union of their choice.”
It urged its members to cease all forms of intimidation, victimisation, and union-busting activities.
“Each union is to set up an Action Mobilisation Committee and liaise directly with the NLC National Secretariat within the next 72 hours to coordinate strategy, logistics, and communication. Unity of purpose and action is non-negotiable.
“The impunity of the Dangote Group must be met with the resistance of organised labour. No amount of media verbiage and paid hirelings will stop us from fighting for our liberty in the face of apparent regulatory capture where the state seems to have abdicated its responsibility to hold this behemoth accountable for its breaches of our laws.
“The blood and sweat of Nigerian workers built this conglomerate; we will not let it become a monument to their oppression.”
● Dangote vs PENGASSAN crisis
PENGASSAN had earlier asked its members to disrupt activities at the refinery by blocking gas supply to it.
The association said its decision was in response to the decision by the refinery’s management to sack some workers who are members of the union. It also accused Dangote refinery of spreading misinformation to justify its actions.
The union also directed its members nationwide to withdraw their services in protest against the alleged sack of Nigerian workers at the refinery from midnight on 28 September. It accused the management of the refinery of anti-labour practices and discrimination against local employees, prompting the federal government’s intervention.
In a swift response, Dangote refinery described the order as illegal and cautioned PENGASSAN to obey Nigerian laws in its operations, noting that PENGASSAN has no legal right to disrupt or interfere with the refinery’s contracts with third-party vendors for gas and crude oil supply.
The Dangote Refinery called on the federal government and its security agencies to intervene and call PENGASSAN to order, urging that PENGASSAN’s actions are not only lawless but also have the potential to inflict significant harm on the Nigerian economy and citizens.
On Saturday, the House of Representatives Committee on Petroleum Resources (Downstream) called on PENGASSAN to suspend its directive to cut off gas and crude oil supply to the Dangote refinery.
On Sunday, the federal government appealed to PENGASSAN to suspend its planned nationwide strike over its dispute with the Dangote Refinery.
In an appeal statement, the Minister of Labour and Employment, Muhammad Dingyadi, said the ministry had already initiated moves to reconcile the parties to prevent the crisis from escalating.
This newspaper had earlier reported that PENGASSAN on Monday morning shut down the major entry points of the NNPC Ltd, NMDPRA, and the NUPRC.
At the NMDPRA Headquarters gate located at the federal secretariat, this newspaper observed a banner with an inscription ‘Dangote Must Obey’, ‘Dangote is Not bigger than the country’, and ‘Dangote the Chief of lawless officer.’
Earlier, the National Industrial Court, Abuja, issued an interim order stopping PENGASSAN from continuing with its nationwide industrial action against the Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Petrochemicals.
The court also restrained PENGASSAN from cutting crude and gas supply to Dangote Refinery.
The Nigerian government has commenced a reconciliation meeting between the Dangote Refinery and PENGASSAN to resolve their ongoing dispute.
