Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC), has called on the management of Abuja Continental hotel not to treat its workers as slaves rather than allowing them to exercise their fundamental human rights.
According to the Congress, Abuja Continental hotel has refused and denied workers their rights to organised and unionised.Saying that workers rights are been violated.
Protesting at the gate of the hotel on Monday in Abuja by the members of the Unions and other civil society groups demanded that Abuja Continental hotel must obey and respect the ILO convention 87 that gives rights to workers unionization.
Members of the union with plates cards in their hands written: "we demand unionization of workers, Fair treatment, Fair play, Fair voice, no intimidation and no to modern slavery".
Others were written: "5 star hotel we demand zero labour practices, No Union! No Peace!! We Say!!!. Respect our rights to organize. Our rights are violated. We demand a union Abuja Continental said no and we say we must organize."
Speaking during the protest, the TUC President, Comrade (Engr.) Festus Osifo noted that the rights of workers working in Abuja Continental hotel have been violated and members of the union have come to protest and demand for their rights.
He said the right of a worker is fundamental by the constitution of the federal republic of Nigeria, but Abuja Continental hotel has refused and allowed its workers to exercise their rights.
"The issue is very clear. Workers have been treated as slaves in Abuja Continental hotel. Their rights have been violated. They are not allowed to exercise their fundamental human rights."
Comrade Osifo further called on the Minister of Labour and Employment and other stakeholders to call the hotel to order so that they can resolve every issues confronting workers in a peaceful manner rather than crises.
It was recalled that recently the President of TUC gave warning to those hotels who do not want their members to unionised, and Abuja Continental hotel was one of them.
He said the Hotel and Personal Services Senior Staff Association (HAPSA) have tried everything within their power to get their members in those hotels to be organized or unionized, but they have refused to allowed them.
He further warned them to allowed their workers to unionised, if not members of the union would continue to distrupt their business until they are comply to obey those laws that are protecting workers rights.
Earlier speaking to news men, the National President,Hotel and Personal Services Senior Staff Association( HAPSA), Comrade E. Williams Adegbe noted that some years before COVID-19 there was unionization of workers when the hotel was named"Sheraton hotel" but immediately after the covid 19, the new management took over and changed to name to Continental hotel both the one in Lagos and Abuja are doing something without allowing workers to unionised.
He said "what is happening in Continental Abuja, is the same thing happening in Lagos. To go down a little back to the memory lane, Sheraton Hotel, that before these people took over, there was union here. Perfect.
"But after COVID-19, and these people took over as a new investor, they told their employees that union is a taboo. And they have established this place like a slave camp. Their members don't have access to any form of condition of service.
"Their member does not have any right to any association, which is against Section 40 of Nigeria Constitution. There have been several cries, and we at the affiliate level have been writing several letters, both NUFCI and AFSA. Our letters have defiled every of our meetings to come and meet with the management.
"That was why we escalated to the labour centre, which is the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria, and that is why they wrote to us that they don't have time for any meeting until November. And that is the reason why you see the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria coming to say that, okay, what people are saying about them is true, and it's correct. And our mandate is to defend workers, anywhere, anywhere in Nigeria." He said.
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Comrade Williams also explained that the struggle was being handled by both HAFSA and NUPSI. Confirming that HAFSA is an affiliate of TUC while NUPSI is an affiliate of the NLC and all were there at the protest.
According to him, we wrote the hotel sometime on the 4th of August, inviting them for a discussion to see a peaceful way of resolving this issue amicably. But to our surprise, the management of Abuja continental wrote us back and said renovation exercise was going on, they might not be available to discuss with us until end of November.
"How does that make sense to you? We are talking about workers' rights being violated. We are talking about workers being treated as slaves. And you are postponing it until the renovation is done.
"Invariably, which means by the time they are done with the renovation, all our workers will have died. And it's against that background that we are here to exercise our fundamental right and press on our demand that they do have a right to unionisation and collective bargaining. More so, they also have a right to enjoy section 40 of the constitution that allows them to freely associate." He said.
While commending on those workers at the Abuja Continental hotel disassociation themselves not from the union he said he everybody has a right to his or her opinion, but their members are ready to join the union." I can rest assure you that the workers, our members in there, they are resolute. They are ready to join the union, and we will ensure that their rights are guaranteed."
Also speaking, the representative of Abuja Continental hotel, and one of the Administrative Supervisor, Mr. Samuel Esiakwpoyere commended the effort of the hotel management as regards to workers welfare and said they are not interested to join any union.
"We are not interested. The management, they are doing their best. And we know that whatever we are going to do is going to be a lot better.
"It's going to be a lot better. We don't want you to kill us in trying to help us. If truly, the agenda that we are here for is to help us, you don't have to kill us.
"You don't have to stop the business. You don't have to destroy everything because you want to make a point. It doesn't work that way.
"Please, who and who? To the best of my knowledge, I do not know. That is all I have to say. We are saying no to unionisation." He declared.
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