Promasidor locks out workers
On June 6, 2012 · In News
By VICTOR AHIUMA-YOUNG
LAGOS—Promasidor Nigeria Limited has shut down operations following disagreement with organised labour over the termination of a contract of a service provider that supplied it 786 contract staff.
Vanguard gathered that the management shut down and locked out the workers since Monday, as a precautionary measure to preempt an indefinite industrial action that the workers had planned to commence over the matter on same Monday.
Under the umbrella of the National Union of Food, Beverage and Tobacco Employees, NUFBTE, the union claimed the 786 workers were its due paying members and alleged that the management did not consider the interest of the workers in the termination of the contract.
Vanguard gathered that the service provider engaged since 2007, is accused of among others, of breaching the terms of the contract, including not paying the workers as at when due.
It was also gathered that the service provider had reported the matter to the Lagos office of the Ministry of Labour which had invited both parties for a meeting.
Vanguard gathered that though the company has no direct grievance with its employees especially members of the union, it was gathered the affected workers were members of NUFBTE.
Investigation revealed that Promasidor had intimated the service provider earlier of the challenges facing the company because of security issues in the Northern part of the country where over 45 percent of its products are sold.
The management was said to have told the service provider that because its warehouses were filled up and that it was suspending night shift until things improve and consequently was terminating the contract.
Though it was gathered the 786 workers of sustainability are entitled to a month pay as compensation in line with the terms of contract, the union is insisting that the sack of the workers was unprocedural because there was no negotiation.
Vanguard gathered the National Secretariat of NUFBTE on Friday wrote to the management to recall the sacked workers without by Monday failing which; the union would direct workers to commence an indefinite strike by Monday.
It was gathered that Promasidor’s workers vowed to comply with the national secretariat strike notice hence the management shut down the company on Monday to “safeguard its equipment” from being damaged.
