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Relating Stories

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NLC tasks labour minister on PAN crisis

THE umbrella body in the steel and engineering sector, Steel and Engineering Workers' Union of Nigeria (SEWUN) PAN section, has indicted Labour and Productivity Minister, Hassan Lawal, saying his apathy towards plight of Nigerian workers was indirect way of giving his support to casualisation in the company.
The workers of the company also disclosed that the unwholesome constant changing of Managing Directors in the management team of the company was one of the reasons for the instability in the company.

Even as Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) who has given his full support for the ultimatum, said unless the Labour Minister resolves to respect the oath of office he took to serve the country and protect the interest of Nigerian workers, he should be blamed for the picketing of the company.

The National President of the union, Peugeot Automobile Nigeria chapter, Emmanuel Adesanya noted that recent lethargy by Lawal was directly contrary to his position, saying the honourable minister who earlier this year encouraged Nigerian companies to eradicate casualisation and had preached that there must be unionism in workplaces was by his indifference to the plight of workers, was giving full support to de-unionism and casualisation in the country.

Similarly, the General Secretary of the union, Michael Ogbolu, expressed the observation of the union over the operation sidon look of the minister, saying “It is unbelievable that the same minister that preached against casualisation and anti-union activities in recent past is now indirectly encouraging same things he preached against in the past.”

The genesis of the crisis in PAN, explained Adesanya and Ogbolu, was the diabolical giving out of the plant without following due process in 2007 to a wrongful group.

Prior to acquisition of the company by ASD motors, the company has since 1975 been a member of trade union.
But the investor took over it has tried to destroy the labour laws and conventions 87 and 98 of International Labour Organisation (ILO).

The main umbrella body of the union, NLC has assured the workers of its 100 per cent support to carry the battle to its logical conclusion.

In its letter of protest sent signed by Ag General Secretary of NLC, Olaitan Oyerinde, to PAN management over the de-unionisation of PAN, Olaitan stated that the attention of the de-unionisation of SEWUN have been brought to the notice of NLC.

According to Olaitan PAN Management has refused to allow the workers resume their membership of SEWUN, despite repeated efforts.

NLC warned the management to respect the workers and the union by allowing the resumption of unionisation without delay. “Everything must be done to ensure that this matter does not degenerate into one in which the NLC would be compelled to assume the driving seat.”