Firm Gets 21-Day Ultimatum Over Sack Of 2,000 Staff

The Steel and Engineering Workers Union of Nigeria (SEWUN) First Aluminum Plc branch has given the management of the company, a 21-day ultimatum to recall the over 2,000 sacked employees of the company or face industrial action.

The branch chairman of the union, Comrade Nkem Saturday who disclosed this in an interview with The Tide in Port Harcourt also described the alleged sacking of the workers as illegal in view of the fact that no consultation was held with the union before the action was carried out.

Also speaking, the union secretary, Comrade Banigo Monday wondered what the retrenched workers will do, against the background that many of them are indebted to banks.

Comrade Banigo who also described the action of management as illegal, threatened that the union will show-down the company until the retrenched workers are recalled and negotiation entered into with the union.

He particularly said that, the management cannot take the action by sacking the workers in view of the fact that a number of the sacked workers are owing some banks.

Corroborating his view, the union’s treasurer, Mr. Elvis Tenwi said that the union would stop at noting to ensure that due process is followed by the management on the issue.

He also called for the full payment of gratuity to the affected workers from 2008 till date, while a refund of all money deducted by management in the name of taxation be made to the workers.

The Human Resources Manager of the company, Mrs Deima Enos, when contacted said that management would soon make its position known on the matter.