Workers
of the Power Holding Company of Nigeria have threatened to go on strike
over the non-payment of severance benefits to about 55 per cent of the
workforce.
Over
2,000 workers under the aegis of the National Union of Electrical
Employees staged a protest at the Eko and Ikeja Electricity Distribution
Companies on Monday in Lagos over the delay in the payment of their
severance benefits.
The
workers, who locked the gates to the distribution companies and
prevented people from entering the premises, lamented that most banks
had refused to give financial backing to the schedule sent to them by
the Federal Government, hence the delay in the payment of the benefits
to the majority of them.
For
this, they threatened to commence a nationwide indefinite strike on
November 1, while vowing that there would be blackout across the country
because the workers would down tools if the issue was not resolved
before then.
They also gave the Federal Government a four-day ultimatum to address the problem.
The
Chairman, Lagos Chapter, NUEE, Mr. Adeleke Ibrahim, who led the
protest, said, “The reports reaching the union is that majority of the
banks cannot give financial backing to the schedule sent to them by the
Federal Government. This means that the government does not have money.”
Ibrahim
said if the entitlements were not paid by the end of October, the
entire workforce of PHCN in all the 36 states of the federation and the
Federal Capital Territory would embark on an indefinite strike.
According
to him, the union is not against privatisation of the company, “but
government should pay all workers’ entitlements before the new owners
commence operation.”
He,
therefore, appealed to the government to ensure that all the agreements
it signed with the workers were met in order to avert the strike.
Ibrahim
said some of the issues in contention included non-payment of
retirement savings to the Pension Fund Administrators and non-remittance
of dues of two per cent deducted from workers’ salaries to the unions.
Others
are non-payment of benefits of retirees who disengaged in 2011 and
non-regularisation of the services of some casual workers.
The
Federal Government had on Wednesday, August 28, 2013, said it had paid
the severance benefits of over 70 per cent of the workers of the PHCN as
it worked towards concluding the privatisation of the power sector.
“As
of today, we have paid off the benefits of at least 70 per cent of the
workers. And as we finish the severance payment this week or next week,
the next part will be the pension for the workers,” the Minister of
Power, Prof. Chinedu Nebo, had said.
However,
the NUEE in a statement in September, protested the planned handover of
the power assets to the new owners because of the protracted labour
issues that had yet to be resolved.
The
union said in a statement signed by its General Secretary, Mr. Joe
Ajaero, “Because of the Independence Day ceremonies, we will be patient
to allow for full celebrations. However, we hereby urge Nigerians to
bear with us if after October 2, 2013 the government goes ahead with her
illicit handover to the investors in a forceful takeover; the
implication will be that the workers would have technically been asked
to withdraw their services and we may not be able to guarantee smooth
operations.
“Consequently,
if after October 2, 2013, the office of the vice-president fails to
correct this misleading information, we shall not guarantee supply of
electricity in the country. This is not a threat as our earlier
ultimatum has expired.”
While
the union continued to engage the government and other stakeholders
over the labour issues, President Goodluck Jonathan emphasised that the
issues, especially the payment of workers’ entitlements, would not stop
the Federal Government from physically handing over the privatised power
generation and distribution companies to the private investors soon.
The
President said at the inauguration of the 500-megawatts Omotosho II
power plant in Ondo State last week, that there was no need for any
industrial action by the workers of the PHCN.
He promised that all labour issues would be resolved and that all the entitlements would be paid.
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