NUPTE SAYS NO TO CONTRACTUAL AND OUTSOURCING OF JOBS IN THE COURIERS AND TELECOMS SECTORS.
The National Union of Postal and Telecommunications Employees (NUPTE) as an umbrella Union representing the interest of workers in Nigeria Communication sector is predicated on the Trade Union logic that workers are key stakeholders in the economic wellbeing of their respective sectors. Invariably, being in the front line of bringing about economic opulence in the communication sector in Nigeria
NUPTE primary objective is to ensure that the social economic interest of its members are secured by way of protection of their rights that all forms of workplace discrimination, casualisation or policies that are inconsistent with the principles of Decent Work are eliminated
The international Labour Organisation defined DECENT WORK as the ability of workers to undertake their economic activities in dignity and conditions that promote respect for their worker no matter his/her status. The four pillars of decent work which are: employment opportunities, workers rights, social protection and representation are virtually absent in this sectors where we operate.
Most employment offered by these companies are outsourced, casualised or time-specified. It is like a taboo for workers virtually in the couriers and telecoms sectors to belong to the Union of their choice as doing such will automatically lead to job loss, as their jobs are subtly and strictly tied to their not joining a Union. This policy negates the international Labour Organizations’ freedom of Association and the protection of the Right to Organize Convention, the Right to Organise and Collective Bargaining Convention which Nigeria is a signatory to and Section 40 of the 1999 Constitution as amended.
Some of these companies, like GIGL, Zenith Carex, RT.Com Nigeria, Glo, 9mobile, Airtel, have made it understandable that they are adverse to Unionism
The core workers right such as freedom of Association, safety and healthy working conditions, reasonable working hours, sick leave, severance notice and pay, etc are brazenly abused by these companies.
Some of these companies comply with the labour laws in their domicile countries where they allow workers to organize and Unionise and they come here and deliberately violate our labour laws as they operate here with gross impunity with an understandable intent to enslave Nigeria workers.
The socio-economic impact Casualisation and Outsourcing in this sector has caused can only be imagined. Today, Nigerians work like slaves in their fatherland as their rights to Association and Decent Work has been tactically and mischievously relegated to the background, they work with trepidation of not knowing what tomorrow will bring as they could resume in their offices and they are told by the security that their services are no longer considered necessary and are exited without a severance package.
It has grow to be very imperative for the relevant Government agencies to build up a working template for Outsourcing companies to operate, as creating job entails workers having decent working condition which will be guided by the four pillars that guarantees Decent Work and the inalienable rights of the workers to freely associate, form or join a Trade Union of their choice.
NUPTE request as a matter of exigency, the National Assembly, the Ministry of labour and Employment and other critical social partners within the industry so as to draft guidelines for these companies and outsourcing agencies with all the parameters that guarantees Decent Work in its factual form embedded in it in order to checkmate their crass abuse of workers’ rights and labour Laws and there is a need for government and employers to sensitize workers’ on their rights and make accessible centre’s where complaints of infringement of their rights could be reported without dread of victimizations or unfair treatment.
There should be a burly political keenness on the element of the government to make obligatory what is constitutionally spelt out in consideration of the workers’ rights.
The Nigeria Police ought to be given exceptional education in order to revolutionize their orientation of abuses to comprehend what rights of workers are within the constitutional structure principally in the area workers’ rally, strike and protest.
Trade Union bawl must be harkened to most specially on issues pertaining to human dignity in the organizational work environment, Outsourcing and Casualization of employees for years without confirmation.
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