The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) said on Tuesday that it decided to
picket all MTN offices nationwide because of the unfriendly Labour
practice of the company.
It said no amount of blackmail would deter them from continuing with the action.
In a statement signed by its President, Comrade Ayuba Wabba, the
Congress said all its efforts and those brokered by the Nigeria
Employers Consultative Association to address the issues of unfriendly
Labour practices all failed as the company fail to return to the
negotiating table.
It said even though the company makes 60 percent of its profit from
Nigeria, it was only in Nigeria that MTN workers were not unionised and
were subjected to casualisation in total violation of the Labour laws in
the country and the ILO conventions.
The statement reads: “Today, Tuesday, July 10, marks the second day
of the picketing of MTN offices nationwide by the Nigeria Labour
Congress and its civil society allies. This press statement is intended
to explain the reasons for this action as well as debunk the false
information being fed to the public by MTN that our members have been
unruly in prosecuting this action which is intended to divert attention
from the real issues.
“MTN Nigeria, since it commenced operations in Nigeria and in clear
violation of extant national and international labour laws, especially
ILO Conventions 87 and 98 has denied its workers the fundamental
principles of the rights at work.
“It similarly indulges in other anti-labour practices such as
casualisation for nearly all types of work, fixed- term contract work
for Nigerian workers, worst forms of precarious work, etc.
“It is on record that the Nigeria Labour Congress, on several
occasions protested to the MTN and government about these unwholesome
practices.
The World Decent Work Day marked on October 7th last year marked a
watershed in these protests as NLC briefly picketed their Maitama office
in Abuja.
“In response to this action of NLC, MTN reached out to NECA (Nigerian
Employers Consultative Association) which brokered a meeting. However,
due to inexplicable reasons, MTN opted out of the negotiations to the
chagrin and embarrassment of NECA.
“Thereafter every effort by NECA and NLC to get MTN to the
negotiating table failed. Frustrated, NECA pulled out of the
negotiations. Subsequent efforts by NLC yielded no response either. Left
with no other choice, NLC served MTN notice of a picket in line with
the provisions of the law. This action commenced across the country
yesterday, Monday, July 9, 2018.
“And in prosecuting this picket, our members have been peaceful and orderly.
We have not destroyed the property of MTN and we do not intend to do so
as that is not our objective anyway. There is no doubt that we are clear
about our objectives and we shall not allow anything to distract us. We
are responsible workers and we are alive to our duties and
responsibilities.
“Even when MTN sponsored members of a private security company (with
which it works) to attack and injure some of our members, we resisted
the option of a proportionate response.
“The Falomo police have in their custody one of the attackers and an ID card of one of the assailants.
“MTN therefore, instead of resorting to cheap blackmail and
propaganda should do the needful, give to Nigerian workers in their
employ, their rights to freely associate, and hold an opinion as
guaranteed by the 1999 Constitution, the Labour Laws and Conventions 87
and 98 of the ILO.
“It is equally important to explain that Nigeria is the only country
MTN refuses to allow workers to unionise. In South Africa where the
company comes from, workers are unionised. Indeed, our counterparts in
South Africa are worried that we have allowed this matter to linger for
so long as MTN may choose to try to impose similar conditions on them.
“In Ghana, workers are unionised as in every other country MTN
carries on business. It is important to point out that MTN makes over 60
per cent of its global money in Nigeria. Why then must it be so
disdainful of our laws and people.
“However, its acts of impunity are not entirely new. Nigerians may
recall it was the same MTN in clear breach of national security that
imperiled the lives of our security personnel in the Northeast over
which it was fined.
“We insist that companies, no matter how rich or powerful must obey
the laws of the land. We insist they must treat Nigerians fairly and
decently. No one should be above the law. Let all Nigerians know we are
committed to this operation. We have the will and the means to sustain
it.
“Finally, we commend the Nigeria Police so far for their exemplary
conduct. We single out for special commendation the police in and around
Falomo, Lagos.”