News Investigators/ The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has picketed Wizchino Engineering Company Limited over alleged anti-worker practices, safety breaches and workers’ deaths.
The NLC’s Acting General Secretary, Benson Upah, issued the warning during the picketing of the company in Abuja on Wednesday.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that protesters carried placards demanding decent wages, workers’ right to unionise and an end to alleged industrial oppression.
Mr Upah demanded improved working conditions, adequate healthcare facilities and recognition of workers’ rights to join trade unions of their choice.
He said the picketing would continue indefinitely and could escalate into wider industrial action involving affiliate unions if management refused to negotiate.
“If they are not ready to follow the law, they should leave! If they are not ready to follow the law of this country, they should leave.
“Any company that operates in breach of this should be prepared to face consequences not only on the street, but in the courtroom,” he said.
The President of the National Union of Civil Engineering Construction, Furniture and Wood Workers (NUCECFWW), Stephen Okoro, alleged that two workers had died at separate locations associated with the company.
“Of recent, we lost about two workers here. Yes, one worker here and one on the other side. Because there’s no healthcare. They don’t have a clinic,” he said.
Mr Okoro alleged that the company lacked registered clinics and failed to provide essential protective equipment, including safety boots, helmets and hand gloves.
He said the union had repeatedly written to the company, visited its premises and contacted relevant government agencies over the alleged violations, but management had failed to respond meaningfully.
Mr Okoro, also an NLC vice-president, said the union was demanding recognition of workers’ right to organise, fair remuneration, clearly defined employment conditions and adequate welfare.
He noted that the company was operating a hire-and-fire system, with workers allegedly employed and dismissed without clearly defined conditions of service.
“They are just doing hire and fire. Today they will employ you, tomorrow they will sack you. And that will not be tolerated in this country.
“If they are not ready to discuss with us, we will continue here tomorrow. Then tomorrow morning we’ll resume; we will run shifts with them until the writing is done.
“We will not go until the right thing is done,” he added.
The NLC’s Deputy General Secretary, Mr Bello Ismail, said the participation of hundreds of workers from affiliated unions demonstrated labour’s determination to defend workers’ rights.
He said workers were entitled to join trade unions, negotiate their employment conditions and participate in collective bargaining under Nigerian labour laws and relevant international instruments.
“These workers are not slaves. They have a right to form and belong to a trade union, the Construction Workers Union. They have a right to bargain on their conditions of work,” Ismail said.
He said the alleged denial of these rights could encourage exploitative working conditions, adding that the labour movement would sustain its solidarity with the affected workers.
The General Secretary of NUCECFWW, Mr Ibrahim Walama also pledged to sustain the action until the company addressed the workers’ grievances and respected labour laws.
Some of the workers with the company, expressed sadness over the reported death of their colleague, alleging that inadequate safety equipment exposed workers to danger.
“We need help. We are not being treated fairly. There are no safety gadgets. We are not even allowed to unionise,” they said.
NAN