NLC pickets Bolton White Hotel over workers victimization

By Nasiru Baba

Business activities at the Bolton White Hotel in Abuja were brought to a halt yesterday, as the NLC shut down its entrance, preventing cars from entering the premises of the hotel.
This year marks the 11th anniversary of the World Day for Decent Work (WDDW), which fell on Sunday October 7th, 2018. Millions of people have taken part in WDDW events since 2008. In Nigeria this year, NLC decided to hold their events after the day, Monday October 08th, 2018 because WDDW fell on Sunday.
Addressing members of the media during the protest, NLC President Comrade Ayuba Wabba said that as it has been observed all over the world and NLC is joining workers with the same mind to bring an end to un-necessary victimization of workers.
He said the theme of this year’s WDDW is “Change the Rules”, this highlights the deeply entrenched injustice of the global economic system alongside bad governance space and deteriorating labour rights in many countries, – a day for national mobilization.
“For Nigerian workers decent work must be at the centre of government actions to bring back economic growth and build a new global economy that puts people first. No action is too big or too small for the World Day for Decent Work and that is why the Operation Take Over Bolton,” he explained.
The NLC took time to give more Insight on why the operation must take place.
According to the NLC boss, Bolton White Hotels since it commenced operations ten years ago has been in the habit of manipulating every opportunity for its workers to enjoy its right to association and unionize , a clear violation of extant national and international labour laws, especially ILO Conventions 87 and 98 a denial of workers the fundamental principles of the rights at work is enslavement.
He lamented on the attitude of the management of the hotel especially that of abusing a formal way of communication previously established with a view to denying its staff the right to unionise.
“Without union workers are slaves: they cannot be able to decide on their condition of service, where you have union rights are negotiated,” said Wabba.
“I am calling on the management of Bolton White to cooperate with us today to better the lives of their workers; we call for the respect of their rights and dignities.”
The NLC boss said that both governments both private organizations should heed the call from working men and women for decent wages, safe and secure jobs. , and see unions as development partners not enemies and that all workers must have the right to join a union and bargain collectively.