Lorine Emenike
The Electricity Workers Union has decried what they described as ‘the outrageous sack’ of its members by the management of Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company, PHEDC.
Assistant General Secretary, Senior Staff Association of Electricity and Allied Companies (SSAEAC) South-South Zone, Comrade Innocent Lord-Douglas, in an interview with our correspondent, said the Managing Director of PHED, Henry Ajagbana should be called to order for violating labour and industrial agreement as contained in the condition of service.
According to him, the PHEDC Staff across the South-South region face intimation and harassment over the outrageous target and other anti-labour factors, which has made the work environment unconducive for workers.
“The rate at which the company is sacking staff is really unbearable and such actions are not understandable. The yardstick used in terminating workers appointments is not known to any law. Of cause, it is in the condition of service that any staff who does not perform will not be defended by the Union, but unfortunately, a situation where a staff performs up to seventy (70%) per cent and the person is still sacked, then it becomes very worrisome.
“How will the management give Staff one hundred and ten (10%) per cent target to make? It’s overboard and the worker is threatened by sack should him or her not meet up to one hundred (100%) per cent.
“The situation is having a negative effect on our members. Every day we hear ten, eight, seven persons have been sacked in the industry especially the South-South where the PHEDC covers. It is worrisome. It seems all the agreements and decisions being reached between the Union and management are not implemented.
“The harassment and intimidation of workers are getting too much, employing unknown principle in a work environment is not acceptable”.
He, however, said that labour actions will be taken against the PHED management should they fail to give a satisfactory explanation as regard to the anti-labour actions on its members.
“As it stands now, workers are ready to go overboard. As a Union, we are going to demand an explanation from the management for the anti-labour practice. If it is not satisfactory, we will take labour actions against them, since that is the only language Government and managements understand”.
Comrade Lord-Douglas urged all electricity workers to remain calm as Union is on top of the issue.
