NLC pickets MTN office in Maiduguri
The Borno chapter of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), has closed down MTN Nigeria in Maiduguri over alleged insensitivity to workers welfare.
The picketing of MTN offices started on Monday nationwide to address the company’s penchant for engaging casual workers thereby denying them their privileges.
Alhaji Bulama Abiso, the Borno NLC Vice Chairman on Tuesday said that all congresses leaders were directed to mobilize their members to participate in the protest.
“The reasons are insensitivity to workers welfare and contract employment of MTN across the country, which must be stopped.
“Our workers are not slaves; they must be made permanent staff.
“For instance in Borno, there are over one million subscribers of MTN but with only two permanent staff in all offices; the rest are on three months renewable agreement.
“This is very much gross insensitivity to the workers welfare in the country.
“The Nigerian Labour Congress deems it fit to do the picketing. And if MTN refuses to comply, we will wait for the directive of our national body for further action.
“We are here today and we will be here for the next two days to ensure it complies with our demands.
The whole MTN offices in Borno will not be allowed to continue operating until they address this insensitivity,” he said.
Meanwhile, MTN Nigeria, has berated Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), for picketing its corporate head office in Lagos and other operational offices across the country over alleged refusal to allow its employees join union freely, among others.
NLC had MTN over alleged non-compliance to labour laws.
The NLC officials picketed MTN offices in various parts of the country including, Kano, Akwa Ibom, Ilorin and Enugu alleging non-compliance to labour laws and the refusal of MTN to allow unionism.
In Kwara State, Comrade Yekini Agunbiade and Issa Aremu led labour officials to picket MTN office in Ilorin, the state capital.
The MTN offices were blocked and workers were prevented from gaining entrance to the premises.
Aremu claimed that MTN did not just disallow unionism but also pay below national minimum wage and constantly sack their workers without benefit.