Mikano Retrenches Workers It Once Recalled

Mikano

Mikano. Photo credit: wikimedia

Mikano. Photo credit: wikimedia

By Daniels Ekugo

During the coronavirus lockdown, Mikano International Limited sacked over 600 of its workers. It later changed its mind by re-absorbing the affected staff, due to interventions from high quarters. However, the Generator and Steel Company has wielded its corporate axe again, sending the same workers parking. Their hope evaporated in a puff. Worse still, the company added fresh names to those it threw into the job market.

After reports of the first wave of sacks went viral, the company retraced its step. It recalled the retrenched staff, paid their basic salary, deducted all debts and then proceeded to kick them out the second time.

According to one of the victims: “When the story of our sack went viral online, they called us back and told us to return the letters that were given to us earlier because according to them, it didn’t follow due process and the Chairman was upset about the manner it was handled. We were told to wait for further instructions. To our dismay, we got paid our last month basic salary and then told to go home as we have been sacked definitely.

“This time around, the sack surpassed the former one. It is a mass sack, and nobody is fighting our cause. During the lockdown, we worked day and night delivering generators all over the country, we never bothered on our health, we gave all we had to make the company grow, but look at what we have gotten at the end.”

A reliable source within the company, who didn’t want his name, attributed the sack to the dwindling economic woes. “We should have sacked workers since last year December, but we prevailed and were paying salaries, and as the pandemic continues to wreck havoc on the economy, we had no option but to retrench most workers. If you should know, we spend millions on salaries and we are not supplying any generators for now”.

But some aggrieved workers lamented that their nightmares had begun. “Just look at how the company treated me. Where do I begin from? And I wonder why our labour leaders cant intervene for us. Sacking of workers now is not the remedy. We are all in this trying period. But it seems Mikano just made up their mind on us. We will keep pushing it, because I know they will still put up vacancy and I will re-apply, that is their nature.”

Load more