SAHCOL may sack 200 workers over economic conditions

 

The Skyway Aviation Handling Company Limited (SAHCOL) may soon disengage the services of about 200 workers from its workforce over prevailing economic condition in the country, BusinessDay has learnt.

But Basil Agboarumi, company’s general manager, corporate communications, said the company was yet to take a stand on it but discussions were on about it, saying such a decision if taken by the company would be “due to the economic situation in the country, but we are yet to conclude.”

It would be recalled that the leading industry union – the National Union of Air Transport Workers (NUATE), had last week raised the alarm about the plan of SAHCOL to downsise its.

Olayinka Abioye, acting general secretary, NUATE, had said that the unions as the representatives of the workers would kick against it.

Abioye however said that the management of SHACOL had already notified the two unions – NUATE and the Air Transport Senior Staff Services Association of Nigeria (ATSSSAN), of its intent to sack some workers, stressing that following the Section 20 of the Trade Union Act, the unions had commenced dialogue with the company.

He however said the proposal from the management was insignificant when compared with the demand of the unions.

He pointed out that several of the workers had spent up to five years in SAHCOL after its privatisation and wondered why they would only be remunerated with just three months’ pay.

But the SAHCOL management insisted that whatever step the company would take on the issue would be with human face, adding that discussions were still ongoing with the workers unions on the final decision it would take on the matter.

On the allegation from the industry unions that the management only planned to give the affected workers just three months salaries in advance, he declared no decision had been taken yet.