Planned Strike: FG Pleads With Electricity Workers For Two Weeks Grace
August 16, 2022
The Minister of State for Power, Goody Jedy Agba, has appealed to the aggrieved electricity workers to shelve the planned strike and give the government two weeks grace to address the issues.
Agba, in a memo addressed to the General Secretary, National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE) Joe Ajaero and obtained by Lasilkiin.com, said: “The Ministry takes cognizance of your complaints therein and is committed to proffering solutions that will be acceptable to all parties concerned.
“May we appeal to your great union to allow us two weeks from the date of this letter to address the issues and come up with proposals towards acceptable resolution of all issues.,” he stated.
The Organized Labour had earlier directed workers in the power sector to commence an indefinite strike on Wednesday over pending labour issues with the Transmission Company of Nigeria, (TCN).
The workers under the auspice of the National Union of Electricity Employees, (NUEE), are scheduled to picket the Headquatres of TCN, Abuja Today.
General Secretary of NUEE, Joe Ajaero, in a circular titled: “Call for Action”, to Senior Assistant General Secretaries and Zonal Organising Secretaries dated August 15, 2022; Labour said: “You are hereby enjoined to mobilise immediately for serious picketing of TCN Headquarters and Stations nationwide over the directive by the TCN Board that all Principal Managers, PMs, in acting capacity going to Assistant General Managers, AGM, must appear for a promotion interview.
This directive is in contravention of our Conditions of Service and Career Progression Paths, and unilaterally done without the relevant Stakeholders.”
Another grievance of the workers is perceived “stigmatization of staff from the office of the Head of Service (HoS), of the federation from working in other areas in the power sector, and the refusal of the market operator to fund the payment of entitlement of the defunct Power Holding Company of Nigeria (Ex-PHCN) staff as agreed in December 2019 agreement after an industrial action by the Union.”
According to the circular, it stated that the action (picketing of TCN headquarters) takes effect from Tuesday 16, August 2022 and total withdrawal of services commences on Wednesday 17, August 2022.
The circular urged all appropriate officials of the Union to ensure full compliance in all the stations nationwide.
