By Adeyinka Adeniran
Following the continuous protest by electricity workers in Oyo state, the Nigerian Labour Congress, (NLC) has issued a 24 hour ultimatum to the management of badan Electricity Distribution Company, (IBEDC) to re-absorb all its staff that were recently sacked.
The state chairman, Comrade Kayode Martins gave the order on Monday while receiving the affected workers at the NLC State Secretariat, Labour House, American Quarters, Ibadan.
Addressing the workers under the aegis of National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE) who converged at the Labour House, Comrade Martin described the sack of the affected workers as worrisome, condemning the treatment meted out to them.
Lamenting the level of exploitation of the outsource staff by the agents, especially deduction of their salaries, he said the practice is illegal as it is against the labour laws of the land.
He called on the security agencies in the state to come to the aid of the sacked staff noting that it is unlawful for employee to pay less than minimum wage to their employed staff in the state.
Corenews reports that, the affected staff, in the past two weeks had been protesting over poor remuneration, unfair treatment by the management of the IBEDC amd the recent sack of 17 of their members.
During the protests which is running into two weeks long, the aggrieved workers said instead of the IBEDC management to look into their grievances, their appointments were unjustly terminated.
They also threatened a serious showdown at the IBEDC headquarters, Ring Road, Ibadan, if the management fails to aced to their request by the expiration of the 24hours ultimatum.
However, the NLC Chairman said the leadership of the Labour in the state is wading into the matter with an assurance that all the issues raised would be addressed.
