The plan by tanker drivers under the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers, NUPENG, to stop loading fuel from Monday in protest against operators of Dangote refinery policy to bar drivers in their employ recruited for direct distribution of fuel to retailers from being part of workers’ union has gained traction with the Nigeria Labour Congress.
The friction between the refinery’s promoters, and NUPENG stemmed from the former’s commencement of employment for drivers for their 4,000 compressed natural gas-powered trucks, which they’re importing from China.
The crisis followed the insistence of owners of the multibillion-dollar company to bar the recruited drivers from joining workers’ union, which NUPENG deemed anti-labour practices, and a breach of relevant international labour laws and Nigerian constitution.
The NLC has now weighed in on the matter that may spark fuel scarcity if the strike takes off from Monday.
In a statement its President, Joe Ajaero released on Saturday, NLC hit out at the refinery owner, Aliko Dangote, and declared support for NUPENG’s planned protest.
“The attack on NUPENG is an attack on us all. Nigerian workers are not slaves and cannot be serially abused without consequences.
“If Dangote continues on this reckless anti-union path, we will confront this tyranny head-on until victory is secured for Nigerian workers and the Nigerian people,” the statement read partly.
Ajaero alleged that barring workers from unionism has been a pattern in the company of the richest African man.
“The revelations contained in NUPENG’s statement represent not just an attack on petroleum workers but a full-blown declaration of war against trade unionism and the principle of decent work,” the statement added.
