Electricity workers under the aegis of National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE) have threatened to shut down the entire electricity generation and distribution network in the country in a nationwide strike that may halt the economy with effect from next Monday.
The workers’ action is coming just as the Presidential Committee on Power has scheduled a meeting with NUEE today at the Presidential Villa to stave off the impending strike.
A source from the Presidency told THISDAY last night that the meeting is a follow-up to an earlier one that should have taken place between the union and the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) management but could not hold because the workers failed to show up.
The PHCN management had last Tuesday summoned the workers to a peace meeting at its headquarters in Abuja but was rebuffed by the workers who felt that the matter might not be adequately handled at that level.
The source said the Federal Government is faced with the dilemma of how to prosecute the privatisation of the PHCN entities without adequate funds on hand to pay-off the workers that may be laid off.
Speaking at a coordinated rally in Lagos yesterday, top officials of the union said there was no going back on the proposed industrial action, as all local branches nationwide had been mobilised.
Vice-President of NUEE, Lagos/Ogun Zone, Mr. Mbang Ntukubes, confirmed that all members of the union had been directed to stay at home from Monday and await further directives from the national union.
He said the workers were being subjected to poor working environment, while a few privileged persons in the corridor of power had continued to reap from the sweat of the poor workers.
He said: “It is regrettable that rather than addressing the longstanding issues which will give the workers the needed motivation for an improved productivity, resulting in enhanced electricity supply within the available resources to Nigerians, government is busy recruiting consultants with divided interest to advise her on how to privatise PHCN for selfish interest.”
The zone’s Organising Secretary, Mr. Richard Kadee, stated that the union was not afraid of privatisation, but insisted that it is obligatory on the PHCN management to obey and comply with the genuine agreements entered with the union on the issue.
According to him, if PHCN failed to abide by the agreement, the union shall at the expiration of the notice by Monday, May 17, 2010, use all legitimate means at its disposal to press home its demands.
“If they fail to comply by Monday, Nigerians should watch and see, but, they should hold the PHCN management and government responsible for the consequences,” he said.
The union had issued a 21-day ultimatum to the Federal Government and management of PHCN to comply with the agreement earlier signed by both parties or face industrial action by the workers across the country.
The ultimatum expires next Monday, and the union has planned to commence the industrial action on that date.
The workers’ grievances include the non-payment of monetisation arrears since 2002; issues of casualisation of workers and the payment of balance of 150 per cent salary increase agreed by the management.