PRESS CONFERENCE ORGANISED AND ADDRESSED BY THE NATIONAL UNION OF FOOD, BEVERAGE AND TOBACCO EMPLOYEES ON THE LOCK OUT OF OUR MEMBERS IN DANGOTE PASTA PLANT, IKORODU, LAGOS.

Gentlemen of the Press,

Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen.

The history of Workers struggle in Dangote Pasta Plant, Ikorodu to get themselves liberated and freed from the shackles of oppression and depression of management could easily be traced back to year 2004 when workers decided on their own to get unionized in consonant with convention 87 Articles of International Labour Organization (ILO Freedom of Association & protection of rights) and equally supported by Section 40 of Nigeria Constitution.

The decision of workers materialized and Branch Union leaders emerged through a popular and a democratic means in 2004.

Surprisingly, a day to the inauguration and introduction of Branch Officers, Dangote management went ahead to terminate the employment of the Seven (7) Officers from the Company.

The Union, however, initiated many legal processes and procedures towards resolving this matter but the management of Dangote

remain recalcitrant which made both parties (NUFBTE & DANGOTE PASTA PLANT) to resort to legal tussle from 2005-2010 when National Industrial Court (NIC) finally ruled in favour of our Union That;-

ü All the affected Officers should be reinstated and

ü All their entitlements be paid from 2004 to December 2009.

ü Unionization of the workers shall be given the utmost priority without further delay to be supervised by both parties to ensure success.

For clarity purposes, the management agreed to pay all outstanding benefits as stipulated by the NIC to the affected Branch Union Officers but refused to reinstate them rather went to Court of Law, filed an appeal and stay of execution.  After series of hearings the motion moved by the management was struck out for lack of jurisdiction on the 15^th October 2009.

At this juncture, when management still failed to implement the NIC ruling, the Union went straight to file a committal suit against the management of Dangote for contempt of Court which later led to motion and counter motion.

The Union therefore viewed this endless legal battle with the management in the interest of our members, it was resolved by both parties and their lawyers to finally settle out of court because it

seemed Dangote was not ready to implement to the letter, (the NIC ruling) and only took joy in prolonging the sufferings of the poor workers. 

By May 11^th 2010 both parties (Union & Management) and their lawyers, fully represented, in a jointly agreed meeting and fashioned out terms of settlement.

To our Union chagrin surprise, after the inauguration and introduction of Branch Union Officers to the Management of Dangote in accordance with the agreed terms of settling out of court, on the 11^th August, 2010, a militia group (thugs) hibernated in the factory, initiated and empowered by the management of the company launched an attack on our members asking them to renounce their union membership including the Union Executive, beat them mercilessly, torn their cloths and put them in a hot container and when management realized that these workers were determined and could not be convinced about 250 workers were all locked out and eventually terminated.

Having understood the gimmick and game played by the management, the Union still went ahead to follow lay down

procedures to whittle down the tension by initiating several fora to resolve the issue because of the fact that we are mindful of fragile

Economic situation but all these were not appreciated rather, thwarted by the management.

It may also interest you to note that at a point Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) was brought in to the matter where a meeting was held on 6^th October 2011 at the instance of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) with all parties present and adjourned for further consultation with both parties principals, but as we are talking today, Dangote Management has been avoiding further meeting with Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC)  on the issue.

As at the point of this Press Conference, the affected workers are being owed Salaries for Twenty (20) months after they have been brutalized and psychologically tortured.  Police force and other Security agents were also used to intimidate and harass these workers to force them to accept the separation severally to no avail.

For the fact that we are not unmindful of the expected action to take, but as a responsible Trade Union Organization we have chosen to exhaust all available legal means that have failed.

Consequent upon aforementioned predicaments, our Union have come to realize that Dangote Group do not want Union of

Workers in all his Companies especially in the Food Industries.

Worse still, there is a particular Human Resources Manager (HRM) named Idris Alli who have been claiming that Alhaji Aliko Dangote would use all his influence to either pervert or completely suppress

any judgments or ruling against the Company wishes at the detriment of toiling workers of the company.

National Union of Food, Beverage and Tobacco Employees (NUFBTE) therefore wish to ask, if Dangote Company can terminate 250 Workers at a go for obeying the statutory law of the Country and such Company President (Alhaji Aliko Dangote) is made the Chairman of Employment generation committee for the Country when his company is adding more to already saturated unemployment market.  The answer is better known by individual than being expressed.  It is sure that such Committee is there to protect the interest of capitalist Employers and not really for down-trodden Nigerians and the nation development.

It is on this premise that the National Union of Food, Beverage and Tobacco Employees (NUFBTE) is now appealing to all well meaning Nigerians, Organizations etc to prevail on the Management of Dangote Pasta to recall & reinstate all the affected members of

our Union, who have suffered untold hardship back to the company within the next Twenty-One (21) days from this Conference, and failure to comply may surely necessitate for further action from the Union.

By this forum, our Union is also informing all the relevant

Government agencies and all security agents to equally advise the Company to tow the path of good conscience and be law abiding. Better late than never.

 THANK YOU ALL & GOD BLESS.