The President of PENGASSAN, Mr Festus Osifo, says the union will resume strike action if Dangote Group defaults, following the suspension of its ongoing industrial action.
Osifo stated this during a news conference at the end of the union’s National Executive Council (NEC) meeting, on Wednesday to assess government’s intervention in the prolonged industrial dispute.
The strike was initially triggered by the reported mass sack of more than 800 Nigerian workers by Dangote Petrochemicals and Fertilizer Limited after they voluntarily subscribed to join PENGASSAN.
Osifo described the dismissals as an attack on workers’ constitutional rights and a violation of Nigeria’s obligations under International Labour Organisation (ILO) conventions protecting freedom of association.
“Let it be known clearly that if there is any slip or breach in implementing this agreement, we shall immediately resume our suspended nationwide industrial action,” Osifo warned.
He said NEC decided to suspend the strike out of respect for institutions, in spite of serious concerns over loopholes in the government-brokered agreement reached with Dangote management.
