Tag Archives: Union

3,000 Workers Lose Jobs In Steel Sector– Union

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The National Union of Iron and Steel Workers on Wednesday said 3,000 of its members lost their jobs in the last quarter of 2015 following closure of steel companies.

Mr Kasimu Kadiri, General Secretary of the union said in Lagos that the current economic recession had increased the number of unemployed people.

Kadiri was reacting to plans to shut the biggest pipe factory, SCC Nigeria Limited, due to the economic recession. The pipe factory inaugurated a 280,000- ton ultra modern steel pipe manufacturing in Oct, 2015 in Ushafa, Abuja.

However, after several months of staying idle, the government announced plan to close it due to low patronage. The union leader said continuous closure of steel companies had negatively affected the steel sector, especially its workers. He appealed to the government to stop importation of finished steel products to allow local production thrive.

“Government should also create an enabling environment for local producers to grow to reduce the number of unemployed people.

“We are equally appealing to the government to revisit the Ajaokuta agreement and restructure it to absorb people in the labour market”, he said.

Kadiri explained that the 7th Senate cancelled the agreement with Global Infrastructure on Ajaokuta Steel which later opted for litigation. He said the federal government should take advantage of the recent directive of the court that parties used

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http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/11/3000-workers-lose-jobs-steel-sector-union/

UNILAG Shut Over Students’ Protest

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The authorities of University of Lagos (UNILAG), Akoka, have ordered the closure of the gates of the main campus at Akoka due to protest by students.

The aggrieved students were said to be protesting against the rustication of some members of the students’ union.

The rusticated students were leaders of the students body that led a protest in April over poor electricity and water supply in the community, and the difficulty faced by a large number of students living off campus to attend classes as a result of the fuel crisis.

Members of the suspended University of Lagos Students Union (ULSU) executive had earlier in the month protested what they described as an “unjust rustication” of the union members.

The aggrieved students gathered at the school’s Senate building to demand thorough investigation of the suspensions of the students’ leaders, ranging from two to four semesters, for their role in a protest that led to the closure of the university in April.

Union Stops Arik Passengers From Entering Abuja Airport Hall

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Over 200 passengers of Arik Air were stopped from entering the departure hall of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja on Wednesday by angry aviation union members.

The passengers were directed to converge at the crowded ticketing counter of the airline despite passionate pleas by some of the travellers to the unionists.

Some of the angry union members stationed themselves at the way leading to the departure hall for outbound passengers, they checked the tickets of travellers who made their way to the departure hall and those with Arik Air tickets were turned back.

Our correspondent gathered that the union members arrived at the airport early and commenced the exercise of denying Arik Air passengers entry to the departure hall as early as 6.30am on Wednesday.

The situation dragged for several hours, a developmnt that forced the carrier to suspend its flight services on Wednesday.

Most of the affected passengers felt dejected as many of them were seen trying to catch another flight with a different airline, while others left.

“This is painful and I feel dejected already. Must we suffer this much in Nigeria? Can’t unions and businesses in their sphere of operations settle amicably without putting innocent citizens through untold hardship for once in this country? This is sad!,’ were the words of an affected traveller who simply gave his name as Greg.

The unions, it was gathered, were demanding that the airline should clear its about N12.5bn debt owed the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria.

Similarly, the union members also stopped the carrier from carrying out its operations at the General Aviation Terminal of the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos.

This was confirmed by the airline’s spokesperson, Mr. Banji Ola, who stated that the FAAN workers’ union on Wednesday morning blocked the operations of Arik Air at the GAT, Lagos.

Credit: Sun

Union Cautions FG On Railway Privatization

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Federal Government has been cautioned against taking hasty decision on the planned privatization of the Nigerian Railway Corporation, NRC, which may further deplete the fortune of the organization.

Rather, the government was advised to formulate, for guided implementation, a long-term rail transport investment policy that would achieve for the nation integrated transport development, which ultimately would guarantee major future infrastructure renewals.

The Nigerian Union of Railway workers, NUR, stated these in a letter signed by its General – Secretary, Comrade Segun Esan to President Muhammadu Buhari, copied the Vice President Yemi Oshinbajo and made available to journalists in Lagos.

The letter warned that the privatization of the railway system by the government would only achieve increasing inequalities in the redistribution of wealth, which would deepen gap between the rich and poor.

Esan insisted that privatization of railway negates the great expectation of the citizenry and the “Change your great political party, All Progressives Congress, APC, promised Nigerians.”

Credit: NationalMirror