Textile workers picket Royal Sack over unfair labour practice
NAN-H-112
Textile
By Chinyere Bassey
Sango-Ota (Ogun), Feb. 7, 2017 (NAN) The National Union of Textile Garments and Tailoring Workers (NUTGTW) on Tuesday closed Royal Sack Nigeria Limited, Sango-Ota, Ogun over unfair labour practices.
The union accused the management of the company of non-recognition of the union, poor condition of service and refusal to dialogue with staff among other issues.
Mr Ismail Bello, Deputy General Secretary of the union, who addressed workers, said it was regrettable that the management was insensitive to the plight of workers.
According to Bello, over 300 workers employed more than five years by the company have worked without employment letters and identity cards.
“The workers work for 12 hours daily without overtime payment. They earn poor wages and the working conditions is awful,’’ Bello said.
He said that though NUTGTW had ensured that the workers belong to the union in 2013, the management of Royal Sacks failed to recognise the union and frustrated the process of dialogue with staff.
He said that the management did not recognise the unions in order not to allow workers negotiate their conditions of service.
“There is no collective bargaining and agreement, which means the people work as slave and earn meagre salary.
“It is the duty of the management to take adequate care of the workers.
“The union will use every legitimate means to fight and support the workers,’’ he said.
Bello urged the workers not to be afraid of any form of victimisation after the protest, saying that it was the duty of the management to provide necessary entitlement for the workers.
A source from the company, who pleaded anonymity, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the Managing Director was out of the country and appealed to the union to suspend the picketing.
The source said that the management would dialogue and reach an agreement with the union when the Managing Director returns from his trip.
However, the union insisted that the managing director was around and staff vowed to continue the picketing until the management signs the agreement recognising the union.
Meanwhile, NAN reports that the Ministry of Labour and Employment has intervened and fixed a meeting to resolve the industrial dispute. (NAN)
CHIN/FF/AFA
Edited by Fela Fashoro/Felix Ajide