The Bayelsa State Chapter of the
Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has picketed the MTN Service Centre along Sani
Abacha Way, Ovom, Yenagoa over issues bordering on unionism and staff
casualisation.
The placard carrying protesters numbering over 50 drawn from all
affiliate unions were at the centre as early as 7.30am on Monday and sang
solidarity songs.
Some of the placards read: "Stop the intimidation of NIGERIAN
workers MTN"; "Unionisation is the right of all workers
private/public"; "NLC say no to victimisation of workers in MTN"
and "ABASEBENZI Ba Vuka Futhi Balive".
Addressing newsmen at the protest, the chairman of NLC in Bayelsa State,
John Ndiomu said "We are here to fight for the rights of not just workers
but for the rights of Nigerians; for the rights of innocent workers who have
been deprived their rights - their rights to form unions, their rights to
belong to unions which is the constitutional right of every human being in this
country.
"What MTN is doing is against the constitution of this country and
I think that it should stop. And, if they don't stop, we'll continue to stay
here. You may not know that even workers in this state, MTN workers in this
state, majority of them are casual workers.
"This is unfortunate and we cannot continue to sit down and allow
our brothers and sisters to be treated like slaves in this country. We can no
longer remain silent about it. And that is the core of it that for once MTN
should allow the workers the right to form unions, the right to join unions,
and of course, using casual workers in all their distribution centres and even
their head office is against the constitution of this country and we speak
against that."
Responding to questions, Ndiomu explained that several attempts have been
made at the national level between NLC national officers and MTN management to
resolve the issues but they were not successful.
He expressed optimism that labour would be victorious at the end of the
day and urged MTN to listen to labour demands as it would be better for even
their workers.
The former state chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) in
Bayelsa State, Tarinyo Akono told our correspondent that MTN came to Nigeria
with apartheid mentality and accused the Nigeria Communication Commission (NCC)
of failure to protect Nigerians.
"Well, I have said it before MTN came to Nigeria with apartheid
attitude.
“The apartheid that they had in South Africa, they brought that attitude
to Nigeria and the NCC itself has failed to protect Nigerians as far as we are
concerned." Akono said.
According to Akono, some MTN workers have been casual staff for over 10
years against the against the law which stipulates two years and they are
denied entitlements like free lines and allowances.
On the issue of boycotting MTN services, he cautioned against it saying
it would be difficult as it was the only preferable mobile telephone network in
certain places.
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