The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Protesting workers

  • Protesting workers shut ExxonMobil

    PROTESTING workers yesterday shut the headquarters of ExxonMobil on Victoria Island, Lagos, over the alleged sacking of 860 spy police without entitlement.

    They claimed that most of the workers who had been with the company for over 22 years were sacked in defiance of the law.

    Chairman of ExxonMobil Branch of the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) Rasak Obe said the protest was to express the workers’ dissatisfaction with management.

    Obe said the union was shocked by the mass sack of the security personnel.

    He urged management to reinstate them and pay their entitlements.

    The union chief urged  management to also reinstate the 16 workers purportedly sacked in December 2016 in a similar fashion.

    He demanded the repatriation of over 20 foreign security personnel who are being kept in defiance of the law.

    According to him, this was an unfortunate situation which the Supreme Court corrected with its April 20, 2018 judgment of 508 personnel.

    “This underscores the scale of error in the company’s assessment of the reality after the Supreme Court judgment. There are tens more who by the judgment are active employees of Mobil Producing Nigeria (MPN) Unlimited.

    “To say the least, this wholesale sack unambiguously conveys management’s disdain for the highest court of the country and mocks its ruling on subject,” he said.

    Obe said the company was quick to sack Nigerians and replace them with foreigners.

    He said the foreign security personnel, many of whom were ex-service men, were engaged against the directives of the National Petroleum Investment Management Services (NAPIMS) and the Ministry of Defence.

    “The cost of keeping one of the over 20 expatriate security personnel in Nigeria would pay 100 of the Nigerian security personnel currently being repressed.

    “This impunity has been raised with Human Resources and Law since February 2018, but the company continues to ignore our advice,” Obe said.

    ExxonMobi Media and Communications Manager Mr Ogechukwu Udeagha confirmed the protest, saying: “Following the recent judgment of the Supreme Court, MPN would provide compensation packages for affected personnel.

    “And it is offering Human Resource, consulting services to assist with employment opportunities with third parties. MPN typically retains security services through third parties who are best positioned to provide these core competencies.

    “We thank these individuals for their prior service in supporting the safety and security of our operations in Nigeria.”

  • Protesting workers : National Theatre must stay

    Protesting workers : National Theatre must stay

    Workers at the National Arts Theatre, Iganmu, Lagos yesterday  protested against the proposed sale of the national monument and other Federal Government facilities.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the workers carried placards, with inscriptions expressing their opposition to the plan.

    The workers blamed the dwindling fortunes of the 40-year-old monument on negligence and corrupt practices by past managers.

    Director-General of Budget Office Dr Ben Akabue had said the assets would be sold to generate revenue to finance the budget for the next three years.

    The inscriptions on the placards read : “National Theatre can work, we need repairs and not sale,” “the theatre community says no to sale of the theatre,” “National Theatre must stay,’’ and “government wants to sell our culture, it’s a shame. No, No, National Theatre must stay.’’

    During the protest, Amalgamated Union of Public Corporation, Civil Service, Technical and Recreational Services Employees (AUPCTRE) Branch Chairman Mr Dayo Akogun said corruption and bad management were responsible for the monument’s bad state.

    “If the challenges in the system are tackled, the National Theatre can work effectively and generate funds. We need managers that will help us attract patronage rather than promote its sale,’’ he said.

    Lagos State Radio Television, Theatre and Arts Workers Union of Nigeria (RATTAWU) chairman Mr Dare Durosimi said government should tackle challenges affecting the monument instead of selling it.

    Durosimi said RATTAWU like AUPCTRE was not in support of the proposed sale.

    The  theatre has seven banquet halls that can accommodate between 650 and 5,000 people.  All its lights, water and air-conditioners are in good condition.

    The management has hired security guards, including civil defence personnel, to secure the theatre.

    NAN reports that the premises have been overgrown by weeds.

  • Protesting workers shut down complaint commission over pay

    Workers of the the Public Complaints Commission (PCC) yesterday shut down the commission in Abuja, accusing the government of paying them half salaries.

    The workers accused the Federal Ministry of Budget and National Planning, Ministry Finance and the National Assembly of reducing its budget from N4 billion in 2015 to N2 billion in 2016, making it impossible for the agency to pay workers and carry out its functions.

    In a statement by the Chairman of the joint union, Comrade Oladipo Joshua and his deputy, Dorcas John, the workers said government had failed to correct the anomaly despite pleas.

    According to them, salaries have been paid on percentage basis since January.

    They said the commission’s offices nationwide were operating at zero level due to lack of overhead cost, while the investigation of administrative injustices is comatose.

    Workers accused the management of not remitting deductions from salaries; National Health Insurance Scheme, taxes, National Housing Fund, pensions and union dues, to the appropriate quarters.

    They alleged that the cooperative society has gone bankrupt following non-remittance of workers’ contribution, stressing that the commission owes the society N39 million.

    The union called on the National Assembly, federal ministries of Budget and National Planning as well as Finance and the management to resolve the ‘’social injustice and fiscal misadventure’’ occasioned by gross inefficiency.

    They advocated a restructuring of the agency, an exercise, which they said, is long overdue.

    The workers resolved to continue their protest until the authorities attend to their plight.

     

  • Protesting workers assault policemen

    Protesting workers assault policemen

    Some security operatives were allegedly assaulted yesterday by casual workers of a company in Matori, a Lagos surbub. they were protesting what they call “unfavourable working conditions.”

    The protesters, who paralysed social and commercial activities on Fatai Atere Way and its environs, allegedly attacked policemen drafted to the scene.

    But for the quick intervention of the Rapid Response Squad (RRS), the workers, it was learnt,would have injured the first team of officers that arrived on the scene.

    The Nation learnt that the RRS operatives shot into the air to prevent the aggrieved workers from damaging the company’s facilities.

    For over three hours,workers barricaded both ends of the ever busy Fatai Atere Way with bonfires made of disused tyres chanting war songs.

    Motorists and commutters were forced to change routes.

    The workers said they were protesting against poor salary, non-confirmation of appointment of those who have spent over seven years in service, non-provision of industrial accident insurance and non-payment of over time allowance. They also alleged that the firm owed them seven months salary.

    One of them said: “We have casual workers, contract workers and confirmed staff. Anyone employed will first come in as a casual worker. After some donkey years, he would be promoted to contract worker and only God knows how many years one will stay to become a confirmed staff, yet they are owing some workers seven months salary.

    “They even call us black monkeys; they are from Asian countries- the Koreans. We are paid wages but they put 15 days as number of days to get our basic salary which they put at N13, 000 per month but we are demanding N1, 500 per day.”

    Another worker said: “For store workers, we want to be paid N2, 000 per day with bonus of N1, 500. We work from 8am to 6pm and 7pm at times. Some have worked for five to six years without being converted to permanent staff.”

    Efforts to contact the management failed, as an official told our reporter: “You have to come back.”

    A statement by the contract employees reads: “The entire contract staff of OK Sweets of Olam is strictly aggressive with the way the company is handling the increment of contract staff and salary and their promotions.

    “An agreement was made between the National Union of Food, Beverages and Tobacco Employees (NUFBTE) and the company in 2010 that contract staff will be in appointment for three years after which he or she would be given confirmation.”

    The Nation gathered that the basic salary for a contract worker is N8, 000 but the workers are demanding that it be increased to N15, 000.

    They alleged that a factory worker and a National Youth Service Corps member died working for the company but no compensation has been paid the bereaved families.

    It took the police teams from Operations Department of Police Headquarters at GRA Ikeja and patrol teams from Area D and policemen from Olosa Division to restore peace and free the road for motorists. The security operatives also rescued some officers who were seized by the workers when they attempted to stop them from blocking the roundabout at the Ladipo market end of Fatai Atere way.