FG to deploy relevant mechanisms against retrenchment in private sector – Ngige

The Federal Government on Wednesday assured Nigerian workers of its resolve to deploy relevant mechanisms to prevent job cut in the private sector especially in the banking and financial sector, despite the prevailing socio-economic challenges facing the country.

Chris Ngige, Minister of Labour and Employment gave the assurance in Abuja, during the flag-off of stakeholders’ meeting with the employers and leadership of Banks, Insurance and Financial Institutions (ASSBIFE) and National Union of Banks, Insurance and Financial Institutions Employees (NUBIFIE).

The meeting, according to the Minister was part of ongoing efforts toward amicable resolution of the lingering retrenchment crisis and other major labour issues in the banking and financial institutions.

He said the Federal Government was conscious of the nation’s steep economic indices, hence, the emphasis on saving the jobs where government was constrained to create new ones.

“The economy is technically in recession. It is therefore imperative for us as government to use various mechanisms to keep the existing jobs as we have done in the oil sector where cuts in perks and allowances especially at the upper level were deployed. We expect same in your sector.”

While noting that government was not on a witch-hunt, Ngige reiterated government’s resolve to ensure that all parties involved in the dispute obey the laws of the land, insisting that where retrenchment was inevitable at the end of negotiations, then, due process of law must be followed.

While stressing the need for industrial harmony between employers and organized labour unions, the Minister who presided over the meeting, tasked banks and their employees on the need “to operate within the provisions of the Nigerian laws.

“Today, our journey towards the resolution of the industrial disputes in the banking and financial sector begins in earnest. You may recall the series of petitions from the organized unions in banks and financial institutions and individuals complaining of unfair labour practices which include illegal termination of appointments, forced resignations, unpaid exit emoluments and entitlements, non-remittance of union check-off dues, prolonged casualization, contract staffing and redundancy.”

The Minister explained that the earlier intervention in the dispute which led to declaration of “status quo ante-bellum” on the 30th May, 2016, directing banks to reverse all termination of the previous four months, also restrained the unions from picketing the banks, pending the outcome of negotiations.

He however noted that the misinterpretation of the directive which led to an invitation by the Senate Committee on Banking and Financial Institutions, was declared proper and legally guided after interfacing with the Legislators alongside the banks and the unions.

Ngige therefore reassured that his intervention was to resolve the disputes in the overall interest of all Nigerians.

He expressed displeasure with the skewed observance of the laws of the land by the financial institutions and warned that the provisions of the Financial Institutions Act (BOFIA) cannot be the only law banks will comply with, to the exclusion of the laws of the country.

“Banks are not only to obey the Banks and Financial Institutions Act, they must also obey the all encompassing laws of Nigeria, especially the labour laws because the banks cannot function without human beings. So, both the banks, that’s the owners and the unions, the umbrella for the workers must conform to the laws of the land that guide employer/employee relationship.”

In his remarks, Sunday Salako, ASSBIFE National President commended the Minister for his forthrightness and dogged determination to defend the rights of all Nigerians irrespective of class.

“This is the first time, a Minister of Labour in this country, at least in recent time, will for once come out to say that the bourgeoisie that are taking we the workers for a ride in this country cannot do that again with impunity. That statement alone is a firm new direction,” Salako said.

He listed unilateral declaration of redundancy, casualization, non-remittance of check-up dues as the peak of the unfair labour practices in the sector and expressed the commitment of the union to complement the efforts of the government to tackle the problems.

On his part, Danjuma Musa, NUBIFIE President decried the flagrant abuse of labour laws by the bank employers listing Guarantee Trust Bank, Fidelity, Standard Chartered, Stanbic IBTC as well as Diamond as topping the list of defaulting banks.

He told the Minister that since his intervention, the management of the banks have resorted to hiding under the principle of “appraisal” to give poor evaluation to workers they want to sack.