NAN-H-115
Unions
By Akeem Abas
Ibadan, Nov. 10, 2016 (NAN) Labour unions in Oyo State on Thursday picketed CNC, a Chinese company on the Ibadan-Ijebu Ode road, alleging casualisation of workers and slavery.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the unions–Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress(TUC)– arrived the company which is involved in quarry-related activities at exactly 10 a.m.
The unions grounded the operations of the company, maintaining that workers were being enslaved and made to work under poor conditions.
Addressing newsmen, Mr Kofo Ogundeji, the NLC Secretary in the state, said the union had written several letters and made representations to the company’s management without any meaningful response.
Ogundeji, who said the action would be sustained, pledged that the union remained committed to halting the oppression of workers.
Mr Andrew Emelieze, the Chairman of TUC in the state, said that the unions would always protect the interest and welfare of workers.
“What is going on here at this company is slavery, exploitation and sheer wickedness.
“ We will not condone casualisation, slavery and exploitation of workers in our state,” he said.
But Mr Bruce Shen, an official of the company, said CNC was ready for dialogue with labour, adding that about 50 casual workers were presently engaged.
He, however, refused to sign the MoU presented by the union, saying he would pass the information across to the company’s management in Lagos.
NAN reports that the MoU by the unions requested that the management meets with the labour unions for dialogue within 14 days.
It also requested that workers should be allowed to unionise and benefit from improved welfare package without any form of victimisation or sanction arising from the workers’ role in the picketing exercise.
Workers of the company had told newsmen that they were subjected to terrible working conditions
“ We work without break every day. We sleep on the floor in the provided accommodation and we are paid N3,000 monthly,’’ one of the workers said.
The company, sited some four kilometres on the Ibadan-Ijebu Ode road, has no health care facilities. (NAN)
TAA/OJO
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(Edited by Mufutau Ojo)