…Labour vows to picket banks
By Bimbola Oyesola
The Nigeria Employers Consultative Association (NECA) has described the threat by the Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr. Chris Ngige, to withdraw licenses of banks and telecom operators over the ongoing mass sack as reckless and unministerial.
This was even as it maintained that the employers will sack if it becomes necessary, despite threat by the Federal Government. The Director General of NECA, Segun Oshinowo, in an interview with Daily Sun, noted that, “the Minister is getting very reckless with his disposition and comment on the issue of retrenchment.”
Oshinowo, in reaction to the Minister’s threat on Tuesday to withdraw the operating licence of any bank or telecom operator who violates the Ministry’s directive to suspend the ongoing sack of workers until the stakeholders’ forum in July, said Ngige was appropriating to himself the power, which the state has not conferred on him. “His comment on withdrawal of licences at a global forum is a shame and embarrassment to Nigeria. It is a comment that is ‘unministerial’ and it has simply painted a very ugly picture of governance and government in Nigeria,” he stated.
Meanwhile, The leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC), has threatend a joint action against banks and multinationals that continues with retrenchement of staff despite the Federal Government’s advice to the contrary.
toaddressing the press at the ongoing 105th International Labour Conference (ILC), berated the banks, the telecommunication operators and other multinationals over the mass sack of workers in the country.
The meeting, jointly addressed by the NLC President, Ayuba Wabba, and the TUC President, Bobboi Bala Kaigama, threatened a joint action against the banks and other multinational companies that have continued the process despite an appeal from the Ministry of Labour.
The NLC President, Ayuba Wabba, said companies that have carried out mass sack in recent times failed in the collective bargaining rules, adding that the sectors have no monopoly to breach the laws.
The NLC President said the two labour centres would protect the workers in the sector, irrespective of their status in the union.
The NECA Director General stated that only the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) that regulate the banks and telecommunications sector are the institutions that could determine who gets a licence and who should be deprived.
He added: “This, indeed, is a serious and a big decision-issue, consideration of which goes beyond labour administration, which we are also sure they will not be flimsy and offhanded in taking, the way the Minister has acted. Could the Minister, please, focus on the bigger issue of working with his colleagues in the cabinet to reposition the economy so that we can return to growth and provide jobs for the teeming Nigerian youths roaming the streets.
“The Minister has continued to miss the point. Our disposition is not ideological or sectional. We have challenged his action on the basis of rule of law, structure of engagement, dispute resolution procedure and objectivity. He also fails to realise that labour relations is not a pedestrian discipline. It has its own body of knowledge, institutionalised practice and nuances. The Minister’s comments and action have not demonstrated an iota of understanding of these basics.”
Oshinowo reiterated that employers will retrench if it becomes necessary and compelling, adding that they would respect the law in doing that by discussing with the union (where one exists) including paying redundancy benefits to affected employees.
Meanwhile, against the backdrop of the ongoing confrontation between the Federal Government and NECA on the mass sack of workers in the banking sector, Organised Labour yesterday in Geneva, Switzerland, warned it will not hesitate to picket any bank that sacks its members without following due process.
The leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC), addressing the press at the ongoing 105th International Labour Conference (ILC), berated the banks, the telecommunication operators and other multinationals over the mass sack of workers in the country.
The meeting, jointly addressed by the NLC President, Ayuba Wabba, and the TUC President, Bobboi Bala Kaigama, threatened a joint action against the banks and other multinational companies that have continued the process despite an appeal from the Ministry of Labour.
The NLC President, Ayuba Wabba, said companies that have carried out mass sack in recent times failed in the collective bargaining rules, adding that the sectors have no monopoly to breach the laws.
The NLC President said the two labour centres would protect the workers in the sector, irrespective of their status in the union.
“The issue of mass sack goes beyond the issue of Collective Bargaining Agreement and besides, these are banks that refused their workers to be unionised and are now turning around to sack them. As union, we must protect them. They are Nigerians and we cannot allow employers to take advantage of the situation and continue to exploit them. We expect employers to protect themselves and we also must protect the poor workers being thrown out.”
The TUC President, Bobboi Bala Kaigama, on the other hand, noted that though the employers have the power to hire and fire, caution must be exercised and rules must be followed before redundancy is carried out.
He said the role played by the Minister of Labour, as the arbiter and the regulator, was in order, adding that labour would have commenced picketing but for the Ministry’s intervention.