PENGASSAN says it never signed the communiqué ending its strike against Dangote Refinery and warns it may resume work stoppage if its demands are not met.
In Abuja, the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) has clarified that it did not sign the communiqué that purported to end its nationwide strike over disputes with Dangote Refinery. The union said the document was merely a statement by the Minister of Labour and Employment and not a binding agreement.
PENGASSAN had suspended its strike — which began on Sunday — on Wednesday after the intervention of the federal government. However, the union insists its core grievances have not been satisfactorily addressed.
At a press briefing, PENGASSAN President Festus Osifo stated, “If you see that communiqué, we did not sign it. Normally, it is supposed to be signed by three parties. We did not sign because we felt that some things in it were not okay with us.” He added that the union “suspended the action in good faith” but noted that “grey areas” in the communiqué remained unresolved.
Osifo further warned that unless Dangote management reinstates the over 800 workers it had allegedly sacked and addresses other demands, PENGASSAN “would not hesitate to resume industrial action.”