Elecricity Workers Demand Implementation Of Agreement

The National Union of
Electricity Employees (NUEE) has demanded for the full implementation of the collective agreement reached  between the Federal Government and the union.
Speaking to The Tide, the state chairman of the union, Comrade Temple Banigo  said the union was surprised over the alleged  non-implementation of the agreement entered  into by the Federal Government with labour in the power sector before the  privatisation of the Power  Holding  Company of Nigeria (PHCN).
Banigo said the government had violated the collective agreements by the alleged claim that over 10,000 former employees of the defunct PHCN were yet to be paid their severance entitlement.
He said over 50 per cent of the workers had not received their pension and severance entitlements.
He said the leadership of the union decries  a situation where  over 5,000 members  of the union who retired  statutorily were yet to be paid their gratuity and entitlements.
The union boss emphasised that even the death benefits of over  1,000 former workers who died in active service with the former PHCN Plc were yet to be paid to their families accordingly.
“NUEE is asking for the payment of the terminal benefits of PHCN employees disengaged or retired following last year’s sale of 15 PHCN generating and distribution companies to private investors”.
The union disclosed that  on December 20,2013 a 14-day  ultimatum was issued to the government to address the union grievances especially series of human  and trade union rights abuses in the power  sector.
The union leader  said although the ultimatum had since expired long ago, the union did not want to discomfort  Nigerians during last year’s  festive period  with an industrial action.
“The recent  directive of the workers to occupy the power plants and offices nationwide was as  a result of the union frustration over the non payment of the  disengaged staff entitlements”.
The union boss added that the pension deduction of  about 48,000 workers between July 2012 to date have not been effected and entitlements of over 48,000 staff have not been paid.
However, The Tide reliably gathered that the  Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE) through its Head of Public Communication, Chigbo Anicheba had stated in a swift reaction to the NUEE alleged allegation that BPE had settled  the gratuity and pension of 43,375 former  workers of the defunct PHCN.
He said in a statement issued by  BPE that the beneficiaries  were  among the 47, 913 workers presented to the government at the beginning of the privatization process.

Philip Okparaji