..says trade unions must show integrity in their dealings
Former Secretary of Transparency IInternational, TI Major General(retd) Isola Williams has advised Dangote Refinery and Oil workers led by Petroleum and Energy Gas workers,PENGASSAN, to dialogue and explore areas of compromise acceptable to them in order to end the crisis in the industry mmove the nation forward.
According to him,though the Dangote may have uts reasons ,” with the harsh inhuman capitalist system we have in Nigeria,Trade Unions are important for the welfare and wellbeing of workers.”
In an exclusive chat with Newdawnngr.com,he questioned the reasons for Dangote resisting its employees from belonging to unions.
Said he,”What makes Dangote afraid of Union workers?
If he has reasons,he should sit down with the Unions and let them agree on the conditions for working together for all of us.”
He said further that because the operations of the Refinery is strategic for the country,” the UNIONS leaders too must be ready to compromise too.
“The Unions leaders are well paid and comfortable like those in Road Transport Workers Union.
Therefore,they are also looking after themselves.
He observed that it is in a welfarist Economy unlike what obtains in Nigeria, that you really find Trade Unionists with Integrity adding thatnthe is the main reason why, “we do not have strong Labour Parties winning elections in Nigeria and other countries of Africa.
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As for him,the best thing for Labour unions in the country is to organise into credible political parties and take over power and build a human centred country.
He observed that the reasons why the labour union is weak is that ,”they keep running away from that challenge “.
It will be recalled that a reconciliation meeting held between the Federal Government on one hand and leadership of PEGASSAN and Dangote industries Monday in Abuja failed to reach a concensus and resolve the crisis.
Late Monday evening,the Nigeria Labour Congress,NLC serve a notice of general strike to its affiliates all over the country in sympathy with the oil workers union.
