Following the recent layoffs at Dangote Refinery, the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) has stated that it will continue to work to protect the rights of oil sector workers.
Before calling off the nationwide strike, the union claimed to have acted as the mediator between the Federal Government and the Dangote Refinery.
Festus Osifo, president of PENGASSAN, stated on Thursday that the union’s main objective was to safeguard the lives and rights of the families in question during a discussion on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief.
In the event that government actions fail to deliver fair outcomes to its members, he noted that PENGASSAN still has the “tools of negotiation, the tools of discussion, and the tools to take it to the maximum level.”
According to him, the union was promised by senior government officials, adding that the government would “force the system to do what is right” in the settlement of the dispute.
PENGASSAN is currently closely monitoring implementation, according to Osifo, and it is still skeptical about Dangote’s willingness to follow the meeting’s instructions.
Do we share any suspicions? Yes, I’ll say that. Do we really think he will act in accordance with his will? Because they have a history of breaking agreements, the union responded, warning that workers will be defrauded, Osifo said.
The Ministry of Labour’s announcement to end the conflict between Dangote and PENGASSAN followed a statement from the union. According to Osifo, the Association’s National Executive Council (NEC) has made a decision to give the government time to carry out the assurances, but the union won’t hesitate to escalate if there isn’t any lasting change.
He continued, “It is not about PENGASSAN; it is about the Nigerian workers who were abruptly terminated because they were exercising their freedom of association,” adding that the union places the welfare of the affected families first.
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Osifo came to the conclusion that PENGASSAN will use “every available instrument” to protect members in the event that negotiations break down.
Source: Channels TV
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