Sack of 900 workers: NLC pickets AEDC Abuja office, issues 2 days ultimatum
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) on Tuesday picketed the headquarters of the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) over the controversial disengagement of about 900 workers.
The labour union thereafter issued a 48-hour ultimatum for the company to reverse its decision on the sack of the workers or risk total shutdown.
President of NLC, Joe Ajaero, who led the picketing, claimed that the mass sack was undertaken based on false pretences.
The exercise is the “the height of deceit,” Ajaero said, adding that the company is setting a dangerous precedent in Nigeria’s already troubled power sector.
According to him, the AEDC management deceived the union by claiming that the disengagement would affect only workers on the verge of retirement.
“At that time, the union intervened based on that understanding. No responsible labour leader would oppose the exit of workers who have legitimately reached retirement age.”
He however said what the AEDC did was completely different.
“A majority of those affected were not at retirement age. Some had not even spent up to five or six years in service. In fact, many had only worked for two to three years. That is the height of deceit,” he said.
Ajaero said that although the AEDC had promised to revisit the exercise, but six months later, nothing has been done.
