The peace meeting convened by the Federal Government to resolve the dispute between oil workers under the aegis of the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas (NUPENG) and the Dangote Refinery ended in a stalemate, Daily Trust can confirm.
This is just as the minister of Labour and Employment, Muhammad Maigari Dingyadi, revealed that the meeting might continue today (Tuesday) at the headquarters of the ministry, Abuja.
Daily Trust reports that the meeting, which ended at about 12:02am on Tuesday, after it started at about 5:22pm on Monday, witnessed disagreements that sometimes led to shouting march among the parties involved.
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NUPENG leadership told journalists in Abuja after the meeting that following the deadlocked talks, its members would continue with the nationwide industrial action pending when there is a substantial agreement.
Checks by our Correspondent showed that the industrial action is already taken its toll in some states, following the shutdown of filling stations in several parts of the country.
Our Correspondent reports that the petroleum workers under NUPENG’s umbrella began its planned strike on Monday over dispute with the Dangote Group.
The dispute borders on the company’s policy against unionisation by its employees, with NUPENG insisting that no oil worker will work with Dangote group without being unionised.
The union, while protesting alleged anti-workers and anti-union agenda of the Dangote Group, argued that the company’s policy was meant to enslave tbe oil workers it employed to render critical services in its refinery.
However, Dingyadi subsequently summoned an emergency meeting to be held by 10:00am on Monday at the ministry but the meeting did not start until 5:22pm.
After several hours of negotiation, both parties failed to agree on terms and conditions for the unionisation of the employees of Dangote Refinery.
While the Dangote team agreed to allow some categories of the staff to join the union, NUPENG insisted that all workers must be given a chance to register with industry unions.
Speaking to journalists at the end of the meeting, the Minister said that there was no deal, expressing hope that the talks will continue today.
“The issue is that we have not been able to reach a final agreement on this matter because we had a stalemate and we are trying to resolve the issues but it was getting late and we had to call off the meeting.
“We are confident that maybe by tomorrow (today) we will be able to resolve these issues. I want to appeal to everybody to please maintain the peace. By the grace of God, by tomorrow we will be able to get both parties to be able to agree on something that will ensure the strike is called off,” Dingyadi stated.
Also, President of NUPENG, Williams Akporeha, said the union was opposed to any attempt to monopolise the resources of the country and use them as an instrument of enslavement of the people, insisting that the union’s action was for the interest of the country.
“We cannot stand to see an investor whose main purpose is to enslave Nigerians. It cannot take us back to the dark days of slavery. Nigerians have wished him so well than for him to enslave them.
“So, it’s unfortunate that at this point in time we are having an investor whose main purpose is to say that there can’t be a union in the establishment. He wants to monopolise the whole system and even the workers, but we say it can’t happen during our time,” he said.
Similarly, Head of Information and Publicity of the NLC, Benson Upah, who was part of the meeting, accused the representative of Dangote group of arrogance for walking out on the minister and organised labour.
“There was no agreement. Even when we bent backwards to his uncompromising behaviour. So, we were left with no option than to continue with our strike action,” he said.
On whether there is a possibility for another dialogue to resolve the impasse, Benson said it was not only in the hands of organised labour to decide.
“That is not for labour to decide, it takes more than a party to reach a resolution. Whenever the representatives of the Dangote Refinery group see the need for amenable dialogue, we are ready. We are ready even tonight if he changes his mind,” he noted.
A representative of the Dangote Group, Sayyu Dantata, did not grant journalists an interview when an attempt was made to hear his own side of the story.