PHCN Workers Call Off Strike, Give FG 1 Week Ultimatum

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Workers of the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) have called off the nationwide strike they embarked upon in protest against the nonpayment of their severance, gratuity and pension allowances.

The National Union of Electricity Employees, NUEE, the umbrella union of all PHCN workers, said the suspension of the strike became imperative so as to further negotiate with the Federal Government on the payment of welfare package for its members which has been on for the past 14 months.

Chairman Lagos State Chapter of NUEE, Comrade Adeleke Ibrahim, confirmed the development to P.M.NEWS this morning, saying that the decision of the union to call off the strike is due to the intervention of the Nigerian Labour Congress, NLC and Trade Union Congress, TUC, who have been holding meetings with the Minister for Power, Professor Barth Nnaji on the issue.

Ibrahim said it was resolved at the meeting that the Federal Government should pay in full the July 2012 salaries of the entire PHCN workers by Friday, 17 August, and that the deployment of security personnel to PHCN is to be addressed among other issues.

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While giving the Federal Government one week ultimatum to fulfill the conditions side by side the issues relating to the strike , the NLC, TUC and representatives of NUEE will be meeting with the Minister for Power and its group on Wednesday, 22 August, 2012.

Also, the Lagos State Chapter Chairman and who is also the financial secretary of the union, Comrade Christopher Abodunde has condemned the recent utterances of the minister, who described the union executives as outlaws, saying that it was as a reckless statement. “A public officer should not stoop so low to the extent of describing those fighting for the interest of their members as a group of outlaws. It is uncalled for and that shows the kind of people governing us,” he said.

—Ayodele Lawal

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