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FG orders Airtel to recall sacked employees as Reps blame NCC
 The Nigerian Government has ordered the management of Airtel Nigeria to recall about 3,000 employees sacked by its partners, Spanco and Tech Mahindra.
The House of Representatives had last week directed the company to do same.
The workers are expected to resume work on or before Thursday, October 13, 2011.
The House of Representatives Committee on Communication led by Oyetunde Ojo had blamed the Federal Ministry of Labour and Productivity and Nigerian Communication Commission (NCC) for failing to implement various labour laws including grant of recruiters’ licences and monitor activities of foreign companies operating in the country.
The Minister of Labour, Emeka Wogu, who gave the directive at a tripartite meeting held in Abuja, on Monday, disclosed that plans were underway to set up a joint technical committee with the Ministry of Information Technology on the regulation of outsourcing and other labour related issues in the communication sector of the economy in the bid to tackle the problem of unemployment.
Labour laws
He assured Nigerians of the present administration’s commitment to job creation through permanent or regulated outsourcing practice in the oil and gas sector and pledged that the government would protect the fundamental human rights of Nigerian workers including the right to unionize as guaranteed in the extant labour laws.
Resolutions
According to the communiqué issued at the end of the reconciliatory meeting, the management of Airtel agreed to “mandate its Business Partners (Spanco channel BPO Limited and Tech Mahindra Nigeria Limited) to ensure the resumption of all staff affected by the suspension of operations not later than Thursday, October 13, 2011.
“That on Friday, October 14, 2011 negotiation shall commence between Airtel Services Limited, Spanco Channel BPO Limited, Tech Mahindra Nigeria Limited and National Union of Post and Telecommunications Employees (NUPTE) with a view to putting in place a Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA). The Collective Bargaining Agreement shall be concluded by October 28, 2011.
“That there shall be no victimization whatsoever of any worker on account of any action or omission committed during the industrial crisis”; as well as implement the agreement reached on the outstanding issues on payment of 2010/2011 quarterly incentive scheme.”
Bringing down cost
K. Sankaraligam, Chief Executive Officer of Spanco Africa had on September 30 explained that the decision to suspend Abuja call centre operations followed the company’s move to “bring down cost” as well as introduce a new condition of service.
In his words, “We are obviously aware of all what is required to be done for running a good business quality, commercially viable operation. No company in Nigeria or outside can continue to incur expenses more than the revenue.
In the current situation, we are operating at heavy losses and it is not possible for the operations to continue. Certain proposals were made to reduce the losses but all the options were turned down by your representatives, resulting in failure of mediation talks.”
Meanwhile, the House committee on Labour and productivity has again expressed concern over the dispute between Airtel and its workers.
Workers’ welfare
The committee made the observation during an interactive session with Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and management team of Airtel Nigeria over the dismissal of over 3,000 workers.
It directed Airtel and its partners, Spanco and Tech Mahindra to provide the operating licences issued by the Federal Ministry of Labour and Productivity and Nigerian Communication Commission (NCC) as well as conditions of service, profit and loss accounts to the committee on October17, 2011.
Airtel CEO, Rajan Swaroop, in his presentation denied that Airtel was responsible for the mass layoff. He explained that the company operates in the negative despite the whooping sum of 1.21 billion dollars realized in 2010.
He argued that its two partners did not need a license from NCC as they also provide services to other companies outside telecommunications.
In his presentation, Chris Uyot, NLC Head of Information and Media faulted the management style of Airtel in relations to workers’ welfare.
He said: “Airtel management style is very bad. It is high time Airtel decided if it wants to do business in Nigeria or park its load and go.”
The lawmakers, who expressed displeasure over the crisis, frowned at the non-issuance of identity cards to the workers, non-payment of bonus and the contentious 60 percent pay-cut as well as the disengagement of 15 pregnant women.
NP/Uche Iheanacho |
