Tina Amanda
An Electricity Union Leader, Comrade Innocent Lord-Douglas has called on the management of Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company (PHEDC) to refrain from its proposed plan to sack over one hundred of its members.
Lord-Douglas, who is the Deputy General Secretary, Senior Staff Association of Electricity and Allied Companies (SSAEAC), in a letter addressed to PHEDC, demanded a stop to the plan to illegally sack staff without compliance with the relevant provisions of the Labour Act, 2004.
According to him, the said plan is in continuation of the policy of the former MD/CEO of PHEDC, Henry Ajagbawa, wherein over eighty of their members were pencilled for a sack before he was removed from office on 6th July 2022.
The letter reads, “Our attention has been drawn to the recently concluded plan by the management of PHED to sack over one hundred of our members in PHED any moment from now.
“You may recall that over twenty-three of our members in PHEDC were sacked as far back April 2021, without payment of their entitlement as provided under the Labour Act, 2004.
“While we recognize the right of our employer to reasonably lay off its staffer, such right must conform to the provision of section 11 (7) of the Labour Act, 2004 which is to the effect that payment of full wages payable in money must be made in or before the expiry of the period of notice.
“It is our contention that the management of PHED should urgently pay full wages to the said twenty-three workers illegally sacked for over one year now within 14 days of receipt of this letter.”
The Union Leader further said legal and labour actions will be taken against the electricity company should they go on with the sack as planned.
“Take notice that any attempt to further infringe on the rights of our members by deviating from the provisions of the Act,2004 shall be met with stiff opposition.
“Take further notice that in the unlikely event of your failure, negligence or refusal to comply with the above demands and warning, we shall be left with no option but to take necessary legal steps which may include labour action and protracted litigation to secure the interest of the affected member in the circumstance”.
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