The Nigeria Labour Congress has commended the protesting workers of Kaduna Electricity Distribution Company for embarking on strike following the alleged dismissal of hundreds of workers of the Disco.
This came as the Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company confirmed the sacking of some of its workers, blaming poor performance.
Some parts of Ilorin, the Kwara State capital were thrown into a total blackout on Thursday as IBEDC workers locked out customers from transacting businesses with the company.
The gates leading to the two business offices of the company at Challenge and Baboko New Market, Ilorin were locked by the workers who said that they were embarking on an indefinite strike to protest poor welfare facilities for workers of the company.
The Coordinating Head of Corporate Services, IBEDC, Angela Olanrewaju, confirmed the dismissal of some of the company’s workers on Thursday following the industrial action embarked upon by the workers union.
This is coming barely a few days after Kaduna Electric said it sacked 450 of its workers.
The PUNCH reports that workers of the IBEDC said on Thursday that they had commenced an indefinite strike over the non-implementation of the new minimum wage, non-remittance of pension and cooperative deductions, and the dismissal of 17 staffers.
Some offices of IBEDC in Abeokuta, Ogun State, were picketed by the workers, disrupting business activities.
On Thursday, the IBEDC announced, “Dear esteemed customer, we wish to inform you that the disruption you are currently experiencing at our office outlets is a result of picketing by the National Union of Electricity Employees.
“During this period, we kindly request that you utilise our online platforms for all payment-related matters and direct any customer complaints through our social media direct messages.
We appreciate your understanding and patience as we work to resolve this speedily.”
The Vice President of the National Union of Electricity Employees, Lagos/Ogun Zone, Abiodun Shobayo, told The PUNCH that the workers of IBEDC had no option but to embark on a strike action following months of failed negotiations with the management.
Shobayo said the IBEDC management would no longer be allowed to ignore the complaints of its workers raised about nine months ago.
He said, “Our pension and cooperative deductions, running into billions of naira, have not been remitted. We are not given imprest, and workers have been using their personal funds to fix electricity faults and distribute bills.
“The management is not ready to implement the new minimum wage or even negotiate, claiming there is no money. They have also been sacking workers indiscriminately without following due process. 17 of our members have already been affected, and we have said this cannot stand.
“We have exercised patience, but it seems the management has a hidden agenda. Just recently, 900 staff of Kaduna Electricity Distribution Company were sacked; we do not want the same situation here,” Shobayo alleged.
However, when contacted, the Coordinating Head of Corporate Services, Olanrewaju told our correspondent that the management of IBEDC is committed to excellence in service delivery and staff welfare at all times.
She urged the company’s customers and stakeholders across its franchise areas to disregard reports that its workers have embarked on strike.
“We want to emphasise that the staff members in question were let go due to their consistent poor performance, following the company’s Conditions of Service and proper procedures were followed in these exits,” she stated.
Regarding other concerns related to staff welfare, she stressed, “We want to affirm that the company has always prioritised the well-being of its employees. Despite the ongoing economic challenges in the country IBEDC has consistently paid the full salaries of its employees each month.”
On the sacking of workers by the Kaduna Disco management, the NLC in a statement criticised KEDC for its disregard for established processes and called on the company’s management to “come off its high horse and engage in dialogue to resolve the issue.
It urged the immediate and unconditional reinstatement of the sacked workers to restore industrial harmony and ensure the continuation of essential services in the area.
Meanwhile, the congress warned that prolonging the dispute could lead to a broader sympathy action, with potential widespread disruptions.
