The Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) says it has placed all its members on red alert for the resumption of its suspended nationwide industrial action.
In a statement on Thursday, the union said it made the decision after Sayyu Dantata, the owner of Mrs Oil, allegedly instructed his truck drivers, who have been NUPENG-Petroleum Tanker Drivers (PTD) members for several years, to remove union stickers from their trucks on Wednesday.
According to the statement, signed by Williams Akporeha, NUPENG’s national president and Afolabi Olawale, NUPENG’s general secretary, the action led to an altercation between the truck drivers and NUPENG officials.
NUPENG also alleged that Dantata instructed the drivers to forcefully drive into Dangote refinery to load, and the union officials stopped them from entering the refinery to load because their trucks violated the association’s loading rules and regulations.
Consequently, NUPENG claimed Dantata, who is the founder of MRS Oil, called “navy officers” on the union officials carrying out their duty, condemning such “attitude towards official institutions of this great country”.
“We are by this statement placing all our members on red alert for the resumption of the suspended nationwide industrial action and calling on the Nigeria Labour Congress, Trade Union Congress, all Regional and Global Working people and Civil Society Organizations to rise in support and solidarity against this threat of the Capitalist world,” the union said.
The development comes two days after NUPENG suspended its strike action, in protest against Dangote refinery’s “anti-union practices”.
