PHCN workers reject FG’s N5bn, begin strike

By Clara Nwachukwu & Victor Ahiuma-Young
WORKERS of the Power Holding Company of Nigeria, PHCN, this morning began an indefinite strike to protest non-payment of monetization of their benefits,  balance of 150 per cent salary increase and regularization of the employment of over 10,000 casual/contract workers in PHCN.

The workers who rejected the N5 billion by the Federal Government on Friday, for the immediate payment of the monetisation benefit, said a release of N5 billion of the N57 billion needed to address their grievances was not only a drop out of the ocean, but insulting.

Under the aegis of the National Union of Electricity Employees, NUEE, and their Senior Staff Association of Electricity and Allied Companies, SSAEAC, counterpart, the workers said the government had pursued them beyond their patience limit.

However, there are strong indications that government representatives would meet the leaders of NUEE and SSAEAC today in Abuja to see to the early resolution of the crisis that has potentials to throw the entire nation into total darkness and paralyse all activities.

At a joint briefing to announce the commencement of the industrial action, leaders of the two unions lamented that not only was the N5 billion released less than five percent of federal government’s indebtedness to the workers, but also showed lack of sensitivity and seriousness to the workers’ plight.

Speaking, President-General of SSAEAC, Engr Bede Opara,  said: “The workers will down tool on Monday (today)  because if we say call off the strike because of N5 billion, our members will not take us serious because the money cannot pay any grade level of workers in the sector and that would cause more problems for the union leaders than the problems on ground and so, if government comes up with more commitments, we would then know what to tell our members.

On his part, General Secretary of NUEE, Comrade Joe Ajaero, argued that the workers in the sectors had given government and management of PHCN over seven years to carry out agreement jointly signed with workers and bluntly refused to honour same and  insisted that the workers had been directed to down tools from mid night on Sunday.

Hold FG responsible,TUC tells Nigerians

Umbrella body for senior staff associations in the country, the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria, TUC, yesterday threw its weight behind the planned strike and called on Nigerians to hold the government responsible for the consequences of the planned strike.

President-General of TUC, Comrade Peter Esele, told Vanguard that the government had developed a penchant for reneging on agreement freely entered into and that if it would take the planned strike to make government do the right, so be it .

According to him,“we are strongly behind the PHCN workers on this. In fact, few hours ago, I was briefed on the issue. I can tell you that it appears that government is not taking them serious. But I can tell you that the workers are determined and we are behind them.”