PICKETING of Eko Electricity Distribution Company

JAF’s MESSAGE AS ITS MEMBERS Join NLC,NUEE 

The Joint Action Front (JAF) declares its TOTAL SOLIDARITY with the ongoing nationwide protest action by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE) against the rots being perpetrated by the new managements of the electricity sector – so called Distribution Companies (DISCOS).

JAF endorses the PICKETING of the Eko Electricity DISCO in Marina-Lagos holding today 8^th May and we are resolved to participate massively in solidarity with the NLC Lagos State and the NUEE.

Our Demands are:

1.    The Rights of electricity workers and retirees in the electricity sector to belong to UNIONS and organise as guaranteed by ILO Conventions 87 & 98 is NOT NEGOTIABLE. The prevalent anti-labour abuses manifest in Union rights being flagrantly abused with impunity; while Union dues are deducted by these private shark employers without remittance to the union.

2.    Immediate HALT to anti-labour policies of:

·         Retrenchment of workers and victimization of workers. Over 50% of the workers were wrongly and illegally disengaged in the guise of privatization. Casualisation /contract appointments are now the order and workers are verbally dismissed from service.

·         STOP should put to the Hike in tariffs, Estimated Bills, Fixed charges, epileptic power supply and poor services being offered to electricity consumers, etc

3.    Payment of outstanding entitlements and pensions to all retirees in the electricity sector. Pension deductions of about 48,000 workers, between July 2012 to the date of handover of PHCN to private operators were yet effected

4.    Reversal of the Privatisation of the electricity sector and other major sectors of the economy.

5.    We INSIST that electricity is a fundamental right that ALL Nigerians should enjoy. Thus, Government has the responsibility to ensure affordable and adequate access to electricity supply to all homes and industrial establishments

6.    JAF urges Nigerian workers, students, electricity consumers, artisans, traders, professionals, women, etc, to join forces with the electricity workers and other unions in the continuous exercise to PICKET all the privatized PHCN facilities handed over to private sharks as DISCOS until uninterrupted and affordable electricity supply is available to ALL.

FORWARD EVER, BACKWARD NEVER!

Dr. Oladipo Fashina                          Comrade Abiodun Aremu

JAF Chairperson                                JAF Secretary