NLC knocks Chinese firm over alleged anti-workers’ policy
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has protested the alleged anti-labour practices of the Shaanxi Construction Engineering Group Corporation.
The picketing temporarily shut down construction work at the new headquarters of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) located at Lugbe in Abuja.
Angry construction workers who are affiliates of the NLC pulled down the gate of the construction site and made their way into the premises following resistance from the company which shut the gate against the protesting NLC leadership.
The labour protested what it described as dehumanising conditions of work the Nigerian workers are subjected to by the Chinese company.
It said that the mission to the Chinese company was to liberate the workers at the construction company from continued enslavement.
As early as 7.30 am workers gathered at the NLC headquarters in Labour House to mobilise for the picketing of the Chinese construction company handling the construction of the ECOWAS new office complex.
The management of the construction company did not speak to journalists who were on the ground to report the protest or respond to the allegations raised by labour.
The Chinese government had undertaken to build the new ECOWAS Secretariat as part of an aid package to the community.
Addressing the protesting workers, General Secretary of NLC, Emma Ugboaja lamented the alleged inhuman treatment meted out to the workers at the construction site.
He said the NLC responded to a complaint by the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) chapter of the construction workers union over bad working conditions at the construction site.
According to Ugboaja, the Chinese company engaged the workers on an ad-hoc basis with no conditions of service attached nor any welfare or medical services in place.
He regretted that due to the deplorable work conditions at the place, one of the workers, a driver, Augustine died out of neglect and lack of timely medical attention.
Ugboaja said that while the picketing action continued, the leadership of labour hoped to engage the management of Shaanxi Construction Engineering Group Corporation in discussion to address the concerns of their workers.
