Following the intervention of the Federal Government, the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) on Wednesday announced the suspension of its nationwide strike against Dangote Petroleum Refinery.
However, the union maintained that the suspension is only temporary and warned that industrial action would resume without notice if the refinery fails to honour its commitments.
PENGASSAN President, Festus Osifo, made the announcement on Wednesday in Abuja after marathon negotiations involving government officials, union leaders, and representatives of the Dangote Refinery.
It was gathered that he talks, mediated by the Ministry of Labour and Employment, reportedly stretched into the early hours of the day.
According to Osifo, the union was taking the “moral high ground” by bowing to government persuasion despite strong doubts about the sincerity of the Dangote Group.
“We are only suspending, not calling off this strike .If any part of this agreement is broken, we will not give any warning. We will immediately resume our suspended industrial action.”
He stressed that the industrial action was rooted in the fundamental right of workers to freedom of association, insisting that members joined the union “to secure better welfare and fair pay, ”Osifo stated
PENGASSAN president said the union remains unsatisfied with aspects of the communique signed under the supervision of the Ministry of Labour, warning that the union’s patience should not be mistaken for weakness.
