FG charges employers on decent work conditions

The Federal Government has charged employers of labour to provide decent conditions for their employees, devoid of exploitation and other negative conditions. The Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr. Chris Ngige, made the call in Abuja Friday when executives of the Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria (RTEAN) led by Comrade Osakpamwan Eriyo visited him. […]

The Federal Government has charged employers of labour to provide decent conditions for their employees, devoid of exploitation and other negative conditions.

The Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr. Chris Ngige, made the call in Abuja Friday when executives of the Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria (RTEAN) led by Comrade Osakpamwan Eriyo visited him.

He charged the association to tailor its employment conditions on the provisions of the Decent Work Agenda of the International Labour Organisation (ILO).

The minister also encouraged the association to do a proper documentation of its employees by creating a data base, adding that it would simplify their recruitment process, as well as assist government in managing security in the country.

Speaking earlier, the National President of RTEAN, Comrade Osakpamwan Eriyo, pledged the continued support of the association to government.

Aviation workers protest poor service condition

Aviation workers under the aegis of National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE) and Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (ATSSSAN), on Friday, protested against “poor condition of service”.

During the protest, staged at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, the workers accused the National Salaries and Wages Commission (NSWC) of frustrating the review of their condition of service for about 15 years now.

The 3rd National Vice President of NUATE, Mr Chris Omagbemi, said the protest was to sensitise the public, particularly air travellers to the impending consequences if new condition of service was not approved.

Omagbemi explained that the protesting workers were drawn from the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet), Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) and Accident Investigation Bureau (AIB). He said the condition of service for NiMet had not been approved since 2003 while those of FAAN, NCAA, NAMA and AIB had been with the commission since 2001.

He said the condition of service is supposed to be reviewed every five years, but that NSWC had refused to effect the review of theirs without cogent reasons.

ATSSSAN chairman, Mr Samuel Wuyep, said the union would take the step further by shutting down operations at the airport if nothing was done to address the issue.