Telecom union orders engineers to go on strike over anti-labour practice

Leaders of the Private Telecommunications and Communications Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PTECSSAN) has directed its members who are field engineers to go on an indefinite strike.

The General Secretary of the union, Comrade Okonu Abdullah, in a statement, revealed that the decision became inevitable because the sub-contractors, Reime Group, All Streamenergy Solutions Limited, Uppercrest Limited, Tyllium Nigeria Limited and Specific Tools and Techniques Limited whose workers were said to be working on projects won by Huawei Technologies Nigeria Limited, had continued to make life miserable for these workers.

He said: “These workers are working like slaves in their own country with no entitlements commensurate with their efforts paid to them. They are made to work without work hours and risk their lives going to the field in the wee hours of the night without adequate security provided for them.

“Some of their demands from these companies are as follows: Immediate recognition of the fundamental right of the employees to freely associate with the Union; Immediate recognition of the Union as negotiating body for the employees on workers welfare; Immediate remittance of membership dues into the Union’s account as earlier provided; Immediate regularisation of the employment of Union members on the Huawei Projects and the involvement of the Union in the process; Commencement of appropriate pensions deduction and remittance of same as required by the Pension Act, among others."

Okonu continued that efforts by the Union and the Ministry of Labour and Employment to resolve the concerns of the Union and its members were futile as the companies failed to attend conciliatory meetings.

“It is in the light of this that the leadership of the Union directed its members to commence an indefinite strike. We implore Nigerians to bear with us during the period of the strike and its attendant discomfort it may bring to them.”

BEB