Business
ULC Tasks Seawolf, AMCON On Workers’ Entitlements
The United Labour Congress of Nigeria (ULC) has recently appealed to the Federal Government to prevail on the management of Seawolf Engineering Oil Services as well as AMCON to pay Seawolf workers terminal entitlements.
President of ULC, Mr Joe Ajaero, said that the payment of the entitlements would prevent industrial crisis while responding to questions from journalists in Lagos.
He noted that the workers had not been paid their benefits after they were laid off in 2013.
Ajaero said that it was sad that since AMCON took over the operations of Seawolf, its management had neglected paying the workers their entitlements.
“We call on the Federal Government, the owner of AMCON, to intervene.
“It should direct AMCON to instruct the management of Seawolf to pay the workers their terminal benefits in line with the laws of the nation.
“The law governing work place relation states that workers, who are laid off by their employers, should be paid. This will avert any impending crisis and diffuse tension in the sector.
“If nothing is done, we shall give NUPENG every backing it needs in its legitimate pursuit,” the union leader said.
He said that the focus of any governance should be to protect its citizenry from exploitation and profit.
Ajaero added that as part of the anti-corruption drive, the government should investigate the alleged fraud and the takeover of the company by AMCON.
He, however, called on employers to comply with relevant labour laws to ensure continuous industrial harmony in the economy.
“We decide to intervene in this issue out of the need to avert the consequences that the disruption in supply of petroleum products will cause,” he said.
Ajaero said that the workers were not only suffering the pain of losing their jobs, but also not being able to get their financial benefits.