The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has protested at Wizchino Engineering Company Limited in Abuja over alleged anti-worker practices, workplace safety breaches and the reported deaths of two workers, demanding better working conditions, adequate healthcare and respect for workers’ rights.
The NLC’s Acting General Secretary, Mr Benson Upah, who spoke during the protest on Wednesday, said the action would continue indefinitely and could escalate into wider industrial action involving affiliate unions if the company’s management refused to negotiate.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that protesters carried placards demanding decent wages, the right to join trade unions and an end to alleged industrial oppression.
Upah called for improved working conditions, adequate healthcare facilities and recognition of workers’ rights to join trade unions of their choice.
He warned that companies operating in violation of Nigerian laws must be prepared to face consequences, including legal action.
“If they are not ready to follow the law, they should leave! If they are not ready to follow the law of this country, they should leave,” he said.
“Any company that operates in breach of this should be prepared to face consequences not only on the street, but in the courtroom,” he added.
The President of the National Union of Civil Engineering Construction, Furniture and Wood Workers (NUCECFWW), Mr Stephen Okoro, alleged that two workers had died at separate locations associated with the company, blaming the lack of healthcare facilities.
“Of recent, we lost about two workers here. Yes, one worker here and one on the other side. Because there’s no healthcare. They don’t have a clinic,” Okoro said.
He also alleged that the company lacked registered clinics and failed to provide essential protective equipment, including safety boots, helmets and hand gloves.
According to him, the union had repeatedly written to the company, visited its premises and contacted relevant government agencies over the alleged violations, but management had failed to respond meaningfully.
Okoro, who is also an NLC vice-president, said the union was demanding recognition of workers’ rights to organise, fair remuneration, clearly defined employment conditions and adequate welfare.
He accused the company of operating a hire-and-fire system in which workers were allegedly employed and dismissed without clearly defined conditions of service.
“They are just doing hire and fire. Today they will employ you, tomorrow they will sack you. And that will not be tolerated in this country,” he said.
Okoro warned that the protest would continue if the company refused to discuss the workers’ grievances with the union.
“If they are not ready to discuss with us, we will continue here tomorrow. Then tomorrow morning we’ll resume; we will run shifts with them until the writing is done.
“We will not go until the right thing is done,” he added.
The NLC’s Deputy General Secretary, Mr Bello Ismail, said the participation of hundreds of workers from affiliated unions demonstrated the labour movement’s determination to defend workers’ rights.
Ismail said workers were entitled under Nigerian labour laws and relevant international instruments to join trade unions, negotiate their employment conditions and participate in collective bargaining.
“These workers are not slaves. They have a right to form and belong to a trade union, the Construction Workers Union. They have a right to bargain on their conditions of work,” he said.
He said the alleged denial of these rights could encourage exploitative working conditions, adding that the labour movement would continue to support the affected workers.
The General Secretary of NUCECFWW, Mr Ibrahim Walama, also pledged to sustain the protest until the company addressed the workers’ grievances and respected labour laws.
Some workers at the company expressed sadness over the reported death of a colleague, alleging that inadequate safety equipment exposed workers to danger.
“We need help. We are not being treated fairly. There are no safety gadgets. We are not even allowed to unionise,” the workers said.
