NLC, food workers shut down sugar firm over anti-union activities

By Bimbola Oyesola

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), yesterday, shut down Dogan Sugar Manufacturing Company in Lagos indefinitely alleging series of anti-labour malpractices, including sexual harassment of workers.

Members of the NLC, alongside those from National Union of Food Beverage and Tobacco Employees (NUFBTE), had converged as early as 7a.m at Dogan’s Sugar premises at Amuwo Odofin, Lagos and staged a protest during which they locked all entrances into the company.

The protesters carried placards with inscriptions as: “Enough of casualization and sexual harassment,” “Enough of modern slavery.”

Leading the picketing exercise, Chairman NLC Lagos State, Funmi Sessi accused the company of high level casualisation, sexual harassment, job insecurity and other forms of anti-labour activities.

General Secretary,  National Union of Food Beverage and Tobacco Employees (NUFBTE), Mike Olanrewaju, said the union would not leave the premises of the company until its management signs an agreement to end casualisation and abuse of workers.

He said the union had the backing of the Federal Government as the Ministry of Labour and Employment had previously intervened in the crisis in the company after the workers wrote a petition to the ministry September 2021.

But Operation manager, truck engine of the company, Paul Ekele who spoke on behalf of the management, said the company has not received any correspondence from labour for members establish or join a union.

He said it was wrong for the NLC to picket the company when workers have never shown any interest to be unionised.