New Power Firms To Uphold Unionism

Despite the privatisation
of Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) that paved way for the acquisition of the company by the new asset owners, the existence of the two Industrial Unions within the power/energy sector is never to be compromised.
According to a former Trade Union Leader of one of the Industrial Union, National Union of Electricity Employees  (NUEE) in the state who pleaded  anonymity said the new asset owners are expected to accommodate the two vibrate unions in their operations to protect the workers welfare.
He said the new asset owners of the Distribution Company (DISCO) and Generating Company (GENCO) must obey the Nigeria’s extant labour law to allow the existence of the Senior Staff Association of Electricity and Allied Companies (SSAEAC) and National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE).
The Labour Leader said the two unions national Leadership previously under the defunct PHCN extracted a commitment from the Federal government to safeguard unionism,  during the negotiations.
He added that the union representatives  signed an agreement with the Federal government that the new asset owners permit the operations of industrial unions after the purchased.
The Labour leader said the agreement has guaranteed that the new utilities power owners must allow the workers to freely associate and belong to trade union within the new establishment .
He added that the workers have unhindered right of unionisaltion in line with the labour law.
The former labour leader said the new asset owners has paranoid for unionisation of the workers considering the antecedence of labour in the process leading to the privatisation of the power sector.
He assured that labour must, always stand up for the rights of the workers without hindrance to the smooth operations of the various power utilities plants by the new asset owners.

Philip Okparaji