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By Bimbola Oyesola
The Organised Private Sector (OPS) has raised the alarm over what it described as the wanton denigration of Nigeria’s industrial relations system, following the ongoing action by the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN).
Expressing the views of other OPS members, Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association (NECA) called for immediate intervention of the Federal Government.
NECA’s Director-General, Adewale-Smatt Oyerinde, in a statement, warned that the union’s approach amounted to self-help and posed a dangerous threat to the country’s fragile economic recovery.
“Conflict is an inevitable feature of the labour ecosystem, but Nigeria has statutory and institutional frameworks to address disputes. To ignore them is to undermine the sustainability of enterprises and the wellbeing of the very workers the unions claim to protect,” Oyerinde said.
The DG specifically pointed to the Industrial Arbitration Panel (IAP) and the National Industrial Court of Nigeria (NICN) as lawful channels to resolve labour disputes. He stressed that unions cannot resort to coercion or disruption of businesses not directly involved in a dispute.
“It is unacceptable for any union to conscript or coerce those not interested in its action. Treating institutions of labour administration with disdain and resorting to self-help is not only absurd but against all known conventions and recommendations.”
NECA expressed concern that disruptive industrial actions, particularly in the oil and gas sector, could jeopardise Nigeria’s already fragile economy.
Oyerinde warned that such behaviour “sacrifices national recovery on the altar of pronouncements alien to global labour practice.” The body emphasised that while unions have the constitutional rights to strike, the rights must be exercised responsibly and within the limits of the law.
“Uninformed and disruptive actions that could jeopardise the nation’s economic survival are neither envisaged nor acceptable in global labour practice,” he added.
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Quoting international benchmarks, he cited the International Labour organisation’s (ILO’s) Conventions 87 and 98, which guarantee freedom of association and the right to organise.
However, it stressed that the protections do not extend to sabotage, coercion or actions that undermine legitimate businesses or national security.
“NECA will not be a passive onlooker as the foundation of Nigeria’s labour ecosystem is trampled upon,” he said, reaffirming the organisation’s commitment to decent work and responsible business conduct.
The DG also urged the Minister of Labour and Employment to act decisively, describing the situation as a test of Nigeria’s seriousness about labour standards.
“With Nigeria sending one of the highest delegations to the ILO Conference annually, it is curious that basic industrial relations principles, conventions and recommendations remain poorly applied,” he noted.
According to him, failure to halt the wilful denigration of the system, could have grave consequences for job creation, investment attraction and national development.
He emphasised that NECA’s intervention underscores the delicate balance between protecting workers’ rights and safeguarding economic stability.
Some analysts have expressed concern that the Federal Government now faces mounting pressure to step in swiftly and ensure both sides return to the negotiating table.
For Oyerinde, the choice is clear: “The dispute must be resolved through lawful and constructive channels. Anything less will jeopardise not just enterprises but Nigeria’s long-term economic survival and the stability of the entire economy.
