Rita Odafe
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has taken action against Ikeja Electric, an electricity distribution company, due to accusations of mistreatment towards its employees.
In response, the Department of State Services (DSS) is now involved to help mediate the conflict between the company and the labor representatives.
Comrade Mbang Ntukubes, the Assistant General Secretary of the National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE), shared these updates in an interview with Daily Trust at Ikeja Electric’s headquarters in Lagos.
Ntukubes voiced his concerns, criticizing the management for failing to adhere to prior agreements regarding employee working conditions negotiated with the union.
“There is a major conflict here. The environment has turned into a situation akin to forced labor, with management treating workers poorly,” he expressed.
He went on to highlight that the agreed-upon service conditions—covering aspects such as discipline, promotions, training, and layoffs—are being overlooked by the management.
“They have completely disregarded our agreements,” Ntukubes stated. “They arbitrarily terminate employees and promote only select individuals, completely ignoring the service conditions we established. Moreover, there is no willingness to discuss the new minimum wage effectively.”
Ntukubes indicated these issues have lingered unresolved for nearly two years.
“Even with our repeated attempts to bring attention to these matters, management remains unresponsive,” he noted.
He pointed out that the management’s lack of dedication to honoring the service agreement has sparked the union’s protests.
“The management has not provided valid explanations for their actions. Our meeting last Friday concluded without any constructive outcome. The ongoing unrest stems from our failed negotiations to address these issues peacefully,” Ntukubes explained.
Additionally, he revealed that the DSS is mediating discussions in hopes of finding a workable solution.
“Government representatives are now facilitating talks between us to seek common ground,” he mentioned.
