Telecom workers Picket MTN Nigeria over Remuneration Packages

Ugo Aliogo

The Private Telecommunications and Communications Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PTECSSAN), an affiliate of the Nigeria Labour Congress, (NLC), on Wednesday, shut MTN Nigeria office over alleged differentials in severance packages for senior and junior staff.

The union, during a protest at the Lagos office, maintained that all efforts to discuss issues with the telecoms company failed, which resulted in the picketing exercise.

According to the president of the union, Comrade Opeyemi Tomori, without persistent industrial actions, the company will fail to address the demands of its workers.

“We have severally resisted the temptation of embarking on any form of industrial action, until today, against the interests of MTN Nigeria PLC owing to series of interventions by the Ministry of Labour and Employment, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Federal Bureau of Investigation of the Nigeria Police Force and the Department of State Services.

“We have come to the realization that without persistent industrial actions, the company will not yield to the legitimate demands of its employees as put forward by the union.”

The union, while stating the issues with MTN Nigeria, accused the company that it pays exit packages to its management staff but refuse to do same to the lower cadre.

“Resistance to workers’ right to freedom of association and right to organize; resistance to workers’ right to organize and collective bargaining; introduction of performance implementation plan that is not only unclear to the employees but a ruse to victimize them.”

Speaking earlier, the General Secretary, Comrade Okonu Abdullahi, all exited and sacked management staff have all been paid exit packages but has failed to do same for the lower cadre.

He adds that the company which prides itself as IIP-investor in people-certified, stressed that the management staff enjoy $15,000 as lifestyle benefit yearly but has failed to replicate similar feature to the lower cadre.

“MTN pays school fees for the kids of all its management staff but cannot have it mentioned by the lower cadre; MTN gives generators and fuel to power them for management staff and will not have issues about inflation and fuel price increase, but will not want it mentioned by the union.

“MTN pays 80% of the management take home as bonus, while the lower cadre is given only 20%. Despite all MTN seems to have done for its workforce including the executives, the total staff cost to revenue is barely 3.5% which is so low compared to other organisations and banks in Nigeria who are doing well above 6-9%,” he maintained.

The union stated that it shall be persistent with its actions on MTN till it yields to their demands.

The telecoms union is seeking “an immediate signing of the Collective Bargaining Agreement with the Union; the withdrawal of the secretive Performance Implementation Plan; an immediate recognition of other levels of workers’, not currently organized, to freedom of association.

It also demanded for the withdrawal of all forms of threats to its members; “Immediate stoppage of all obnoxious policy that threatens existence of the Union in the company.

The union stated that if the MTN refuses to agree with its demands, they shall continue to carry out industrial actions against the company until it meets the unions demands.

Also speaking, the Lagos State NLC chairman, Comrade Funmi Sessi said the workers welfare is very poor and they are under intense condition and yet the remuneration is not equal to their labour. 

“Workers does not have a lifeline here as seventy per cent of their workers are casual if not more. This implies no matter the length of years a worker serve this company, such worker will go home empty handed after retrenchment,” she said.