PTECSSAN to embark on 3-day warning strike over workers welfare

Joy Obakeye

The Private Telecommunications and Communications Senior Staff of Nigeria (PTECSSAN) has declared 3-day warning strike effective from Wednesday 16th June 2021 over working conditions by employers in the telecommunications industry.

This was disclosed in a statement signed by the President and General Secretary of PTECSSAN, comrade Opeyemi Tomori and Comrade Okonu Abdullahi.

According to the union, This is announcing to the world that our Union shall be embarking on a 3-day warning strike in the telecommunications and communications sector in Nigeria starting from 12 Midnight on Tuesday 16th June, 2021.

” This decision was taken at the emergency National Administrative Council (NAC) meeting held on 7th June, 2021 and further sanctioned by National Executive Council (NEC) at its meeting of the Union held on 8th June, 2021.

In line with the directives of both the NAC and the NEC the Union has perfected plans to mobilise workers in the industry to embark on the strike accordingly.”

“This strike has become inevitable because of growing precarious working conditions in the sector and gross disregard for our laws and its institutions.

This is the 21st Century, workers in the sector are still being treated like slaves even though slavery has long been abolished all over the world.”

“We have made series of efforts in the past, including but not limited to escalating the issues to the Honourable Minister of Labour and Employment, the Honourable Minister of Communications and Digital Economy and the House Committee on Communications, yet, these employers believe they are bigger than the nation and would not respect our institutions.”

The union explained further that unionization of workers in the sector, most especially among the vendors, seems to be a taboo as they ensure the workers are barred from freely joining the Union as against every known Conventions of ILO, Nigeria’s Constitution, and the Trade Unions Act.

“We have instances whereby employees that indicated interests in joining the Union were sacked. Huawei Technologies Nigeria Limited is notorious for sacking any employee who shows interest in joining the Union.

In recent time, where Ministry of Labour intervened the Deputy Managing Director assured reinstatement of the sacked members of the Union. Several weeks after, the sacked employees are yet to be reinstated.”

“There seems not to be any company within the sector that is not culpable on this issue which is against Equal Remuneration Convention (100).

There are examples of workers earning, even, more than their superiors. This act is carefully shielded by Confidentiality Policy adopted by these employers.”

“Casualization of work has become the order of the day in telecoms sector. This is prevalent among field engineers and technicians. Many are given monthly contract of employment, while many others tri-monthly up to 6 months and others yearly contract. For any of these contract terms renewals are not made as at when due.”

“Employers want to make it fashionable to be getting rid of Union executives under feeble and cooked up reasons to weaken the Union and, ultimately, destroy the Union in their companies.