The Workers Rights Campaign condemns the exploitation and attempt to repress electricity workers’ stands at the Egbin power plant. We fully support these gallant workers who have risen to resist precarious working conditions. They are demonstrating that they are workers and not slaves.
The electricity sector went through a decade-long privatization process, starting with unbundling in 2014. The biggest power generation company in the country, emerging from this, which is the Egbin Power Plant, has refused to recognize workers freedom to assembly and collective bargaining, which is the amongst the 10 pillars of the International Labour Organization (ILO) conventions, C087 and C098 on the right to Freedom of Association and Protection of the right to organize and also a gross violation to Section 40 of the CFRN 1999 as updated.
The union has however been faced with difficulty in addressing the management of Egbin Power Plant for union recognition, for instance in commemorating the Decent Work Day in 2018, IndustriALL Global Union Nigeria National Council wrote a petition to the then Honorable minister of labour, employment and productivity, Mr. Chris Ngige calling the management of Egbin Power Plant to amongst other teething issues address the Lack of employment contract, Lack of job security, Long hours of work beyond statutory 8 hours, Non Payment of overtime, Low and uncertain wages and Poor working conditions.
This deliberate refusal and denial of workers rights to join the union and bargain collectively by the management of Egbin is depriving the workers of even the basic minimum workers welfare to a decent wage and social protection, for example, the company is still yet to implement the payment of the Annual Performance incentives of 2022, the company through its lawyers have undermined workers through its anti-labour stance. The WRC learnt that after 10 years of the takeover of the company by Sahara Group, there has been no workers condition of service, no salary structure, all of these however have aimed at reducing the workers to the overall goal of privatization through neoliberalism, trying to turn workers into modern day slaves.
On 9 September 2024, the United Progressive Egbin Workers were protesting and demanding that their right to collective bargaining and freedom of association should be respected by the management of Egbin Power Plant. The company in response has heavily militarized its premises with Armed Police Officers Civil Defence, DSS, and Soldiers to tame workers carrying banners and placards demanding better welfare and livelihood from the wealth they create.
Thus, the Workers Rights Campaign (WRC) stands in solidarity with the workers and say no workers victimization and call on the organized labour to mobilize its members in solidarity with the United Progressive Egbin Workers demanding that;
– There should be an immediate implementation of workers Conditions of service.
– Implementation of the National minimum wage.
– Workers salary to be reviewed, to meet the standard of power generation salary structure.
– Payment of 2022 API, Annual performance incentive.
Kelvin AYEMHENRE
National Coordinator
Lai Brown
National Secretary
