The Private Telecommunications and Communications Senior Staff Association of Nigeria has threatened to begin an indefinite strike at midnight on Thursday, April 4, 2024.
The union claimed the ruling was required because subcontractors persistently engaged in anti-labour actions against field engineers. The telecoms union revealed this in a statement to the newsmen on Tuesday, 2nd April 2024.

As stated by PTECSSAN, the subcontractors involved in contracts given by Huawei Technologies Nigeria Limited are allegedly Reime Group, All Streamenergy Solutions Limited, Uppercrest Limited, Tyllium Nigeria Limited, and Specific Tools and Techniques Limited.

The union claimed that among the grievances against these subcontractors are the deplorable working conditions, which are akin to modern-day slavery, the absence of benefits commensurate with workers’ efforts, and the inadequate security measures, which are particularly problematic during late-night field assignments.

The union declared, “These workers are not receiving benefits commensurate with their efforts, and they are working like slaves in their own country.” “They are forced to Labour without set work hours and put their lives in danger by going out to the field in the early hours of the morning without proper protection.”

The union’s demands include prompt recognition of workers’ fundamental rights to association, recognition as the representative bargaining unit representing workers’ interests, and timely payment of dues for union membership.

In addition, PTECSSAN demanded that union members working on Huawei projects have regular jobs, that pension and health insurance laws be followed, and that collective bargaining agreement negotiations be started.

The union also disclosed that, despite the Ministry of Labour and Employment‘s attempts to resolve the issues through conciliatory talks, the companies have not engaged constructively, leaving industrial action as the only viable choice. Because companies refused to make themselves accessible for conciliatory sessions, all attempts by the union and the Ministry of Labour and Employment to address the concerns of the union and its members were unsuccessful.

“Given this, the union’s leadership instructed its members to start an ongoing strike on April 4, 2024. “We humbly request Nigerians to endure our strike action and any accompanying discomfort it may cause them,” the union stated.

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