Telecoms union begin 3-day warning strike over Nokia’s abuse of industrial relations practice
The Private Telecommunications and Communications Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, (PTECSSAN) has commenced a 3-day warning strike due to what it describe as disregard to the norms and practice of industrial relation by Nokia Solutions Networks Nigeria Limited.
The strike action , which commenced yesterday, was fully observed by the company workers under the union.
According to the General Secretary of PTECSSAN, Comrade Abdullahi Okonu, the strike has become inevitable due to the management’s continuous engagement in anti-union activities and total disregard to the norms and practice of industrial relations practices in Nigeria.
Okonu alleged that Nokia has also refused to review the condition of service which was last considered about a decade ago.
“The Union has been calling for review of the Condition of Service of the employees which was last reviewed a decade ago.
‘Close to a year now, the company has refused to negotiate showing total disdain and contempt for social dialogue which would have allowed the management and the Union to resolve employment relation issues facing workers in their employ”.
He further lamented how Nokia has been robbing its workers of their wages by either forcing them to become casual staff or bringing to its employ, expatriates, thereby, exceeding the quota the law permits.
“Nokia has embarked on systematic Casualisation of work in their company by seeking to substitute formal workers in their employ with casuals. Nokia has therefore become an agent of precarious job and unwholesome labour practices in Nigeria”.
“Nokia abuses the expatriates’ quota despite unemployment challenges facing Nigeria by engaging in continuous expatriates trafficking by replacing Nigerians with foreigners on jobs that were hitherto done by Nigerians thereby causing capital flight from Nigeria”.
“Workers under the company are being forced to voluntarily retire without recourse to proper negotiation with the Union”, he added.
He also drew the attention of Daily Times correspondent to the fact that employees are yet to receive their employment letters after two years.
“Two years after acquisition of Alcatel Lucent the company has refused to give employment letters to the former workers of the acquired company in spite of promises made by them”.
The warning strike is expected to end by Thursday and the union hopes that the company (Nokia) will see the need to address the allegations made, with a possibility of a major industrial action happening soon.
