The consumers of the services of the telecommunication companies in Nigeria tended to remain docile since the emergence of GSM at the turn of the new millennium. But, not any more. Last Monday, the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, picketed the offices of one of the leading firms, MTN Nigeria, located in the major urban centers, over anti-labour practices. The protesters who defied police warning, demanded immediate improvements in the operations of the company.
But in a swift reaction to the development, the Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria, ALTON, which MTN belongs, described the move as unfortunate. A statement signed by the Chairman of ALTON, Gbenga Adebayo, said the association was very concerned and worried about the sudden development.
In Lagos, the picketing, which started as early as 5.00 a.m. at the Head office of the firm located at Falomo, prevented workers from gaining access into the building as protesters blocked access to the entrance, while those who worked overnight were locked up because they tried to prevent labour officials from gaining access into the compound.
The NLC President, Ayuba Wabba, described MTN as the worst employer, saying the firm has violated all labour laws in the country.Wabba, who decried the fact that the telecoms firm prefered to operate with mostly casual workers, said MTN had refused the right of workers to freedom of association and freedom to collectively bargain their condition of service as enshrined in the convention of the International Labour Organisation, ILO.
At the Enugu regional office of MTN, the union members, led by the state chairman of the NLC, Mr. Virginus Nwobodo, carried placards with the inscriptions “South Africans are not better than Nigerians”, “MTN, mind yourself,” “MTN, our mumu don do”, “MTN, why are you treating Nigerians like slaves”, “MTN regularise workers’ appointments”, among others.
However, MTN spokesman denied the claims, pointing out that the firm owes its workers the obligation to ensure they are not compelled to join associations. MTN insists that it supports the freedom of association as enshrined in the Nigerian constitution.
