By Victor Ahiuma-Young

ORANISED Labour in the hospitality industry, yesterday accused the Federal Palace Hotel and Casino of unfair labour practices, racism among others, threatening to declare a full blown industrial action against the hotel if the management fails to retrace its steps and do the right things.

At a joint briefing by leaders of Hotel and Personal Services Senior Staff Association, HAPSSSA, and National Union of Hotels and Personal Services Workers, NUHPSW, in Lagos, the two unions, catalogued series of alleged unfair labour practices and victimization of workers that dated back to 2007 when the Sun International Limited of South Africa, took over the management of the hotel following its privatization.

Speaking on behalf of the two unions, President of HAPSSSA, Adeyemi Ademola, lamented that all relevant agencies of government, such as the Labour Ministry, Police, Department of State Services, Lagos Internal Revenue Service, National Assembly, Lagos State House of Assembly, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, had been intimated with difference letters and petitions on their grievances with the management of the hotel, but to no avail.

Attempt to speak with the management of the hotel was unsuccessful as the Human Resources Manager, Mr. Bogoshi Matlala (A South African), said he could not speak on phone and would not be available until Sunday.

However, Mr. Ademola claimed among others, besides alleged management refusal to have a collective bargaining agreement, CBA, with the unions towards a condition of service for the workers, “the workers have endured series of humiliation, provocation, intimidation, molestation, sacks, threats such as termination at will, lack of healthcare facilities, non- remittance of taxes and thus preventing the workers from having tax clearance certificates, illegal deduction of staff wages for no just cause amounting to about N50 million,” among others.

He urged federal and state governments and their agencies to call the management to order, warning that labour had exhausted its patience limit.