The Nigeria Labour Congress in conjunction with the National Union of Civil Engineering Construction Furniture and Wood Workers (NUCECFWW) was on Wednesday in Abuja protesting at the Winchino Engineering (WE) Nigeria Limited, a Chinese Construction Firm, over anti-labout practices by the management.
According to the Union, the management of the company has failed to improve the working conditions of its workers and also refused allowing its workers to unionise or join any association of their choice.
The National President of the NUCECFWW, Comrade Stephen Okoro who lead the protest with thousands of members to the Headquarters of the company site at Jabi still under construction lamented that recently two of its workers at different location have died due to lack adequate of medical facilities or emergency healthcare standards.
He noted that despite the major contracts the company is awarded by various governments, but yet workers are working hard conditions.
The National President of the union and who is also the Vice President of the Nigeria Labour Congress NLC explained that the the leadership of the union has written letters time without numbers and even the leader of the union have visited the management to ensure workers rights are protected, but instead to have the listening ears, rather they chase them out with mobile police and continue intimidating Nigerian labour workers.
“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. As we’re talking now, they don’t have any registered clinic that a worker can run to in the case of an emergency.
"We are here in Winchino Engineering popularly known as WE, is a construction company in Nigeria. And they have been doing a series of work in various places in all parts of the country. This company, we have written a series of letters. We have visited this company severally time without number. They will ignore our letters. Sometimes they will chase us with mobile police and continue intimidating Nigerian labour workers.We discussed with them that there is a need for us to sit down around the table. Let them obey the condition of service that is made for construction workers in this country as enshrined by law. But they refused broadly.And because there is no health care. They don't have clinic. As we are talking now, they don't have any registered clinic that worker can run to in case of emergency. And in that situation, if you look around now, you can hardly see safety shoes. no helmet, no hand gloves. You can't be working like this in a construction industry. They are collecting major contract from government. And you can't collect such contracts without first of all considering that workers welfare. And these are the reasons why we are here today.
"We came here this morning for them to obey what is enshrined by law. . Workers have right to belong to trade union of their choice .
He said the law recommended that the construction industry belongs to the National Union of Civil Engineering, Construction, Furniture and Woodworkers. Which is one of the affiliates of the United Arab Emirates. And I'm privileged to become their president. And I will not afford to see my workers or passing by and seeing workers working without no safety. Suffering. without condition of service.. So, as an affiliate of Nigeria Labour Congress, And being the vice president of the Congress too. I have the audacity to speak on behalf of the president of the Congress. We will not want our members to be reduced to peanuts.We are not peanuts. We are workers." He said..
Speaking on behalf of the NLC President, the Acting General Secretary of the Congress, Comrade Benson Upah issued a strong warning and threatened to shut down the company if the rights of workers continue violating most especially where they are working under unhealthy condition without proper healthcare facilities.
He further accused the management for preventing workers from unionising and failing to provide clear pay structures for them.
He said: “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!". Warning that the congress would not limit its response to street protests, insisting that employers operating in violation of labour laws must be prepared to face legal consequences.
He said "Any company that operates in breach of this should be prepared to face consequences not only on the street, but in the courtroom!”
Comrade Upah insisted that issues confronting the construction workers must be address through negotiation table in order to end the protest.
At the time of filling this report, the management of the Winchino Engineering Nigeria Limited is yet to respond to the protest carried out by the Labour Unions.
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