Nationwide telecom strike looms as PTECSSAN workers protest poor conditions, mass layoffs

Workers in Nigeria’s telecommunications sector, represented by the Private Telecommunications and Communications Senior Staff Association (PTECSSAN), are set to begin an indefinite strike on Monday.

The strike is in protest against mass layoffs, poor working conditions, and other grievances.

The strike will involve critical staff such as field maintenance engineers, transmission engineers, customer service engineers, and fibre engineers. There are rising concerns that this industrial action could lead to widespread disruptions in telecommunications services across the country if the issues are not resolved swiftly.

News360 Nigeria gathered that PTECSSAN, has pending issues with no fewer than 39 telecoms servicing companies including the sack of three of its members by Specific Tools & Technology Limited.

The 39 companies provide critical support services to the telecommunications operators in the country.

Vanguard was informed that the union had earlier given a seven day strike notice to the affected companies to address its demands or risk indefinite strike.

Among PTECSSAN’s demands include immediate recognition of the fundamental right of the employees to freely associate with the Union, immediate recognition of the Union as negotiating body for the employees on workers welfare and

immediate remittance of membership dues into the Union’s account as earlier provided.

The demands equally are immediate recognition of the years of service of these workers, immediate commencement of appropriate pensions deduction and remittance of same as required by the Pension Act, immediate approval of the National Health Insurance Scheme that covers the employees, their spouses and four of their dependents, immediate enrolment of Union members in the Group Life Insurance as stipulated in the Pension Reform Act 2004, Section 9(3).

The Union is also demanding immediate implementation of leave and leave allowance in accordance with the international best practices, immediate negotiation on review of salaries of the workers to meet the economic reality in the country today, and immediate provision Operational Vehicles or in the alternative immediate negotiation on review of the Self Drive/Self Rental to meet the economic reality in the country today.

Also in the Union’s demands are immediate stoppage of 24-hour job and introduction of work hours in accordance to the international best practices, immediate stoppage of work overload (combining passive tasks to theirs) on the workers, and immediate adherence to occupational health and safety for the workers in line with international best practices.

Announcing the commencement of strike, General Secretary of PTECSSAN Abdullahi Okonu said “We have made every effort to engage with employers, but our legitimate demands have been disregarded.

“This strike is a last resort to protect our members’ rights and well-being. We urge the public to understand our position and support our struggle for fair treatment.”

While pleading with Nigerians to bear with the Union throughout the period of the strike, PTECSSAN “assures that it will engage with employers and the government to resolve the issues, but the strike will continue until their demands are met.”