Nigeria’s telecommunications sector faces a potential nationwide shutdown as workers under the Private Telecommunications and Communications Senior Staff Association (PTECSSAN) have issued a formal seven-day strike notice. The industrial action, set to begin on Monday, September 9, 2024, targets 39 companies, including industry giant Huawei Technologies Nigeria Limited, over what the union describes as “precarious and modern-day slavery” working conditions.
General Secretary Okonu Abdullahi stated that the move was prompted by persistent anti-labour practices and the refusal of several employers to recognize the constitutional right of workers to unionize.
Key Demands of the Union
PTECSSAN has laid out a clear set of requirements that must be met to avert the indefinite strike. These include:
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Reinstatement of Sacked Workers: The immediate return of three members—Sotola Sunday Kolawole, Ulu Ikechukwu Christopher, and Alex Franklin C.—who the union claims were unjustly dismissed.
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Freedom of Association: Formal recognition of the employees’ fundamental right to join the union without fear of retribution.
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Negotiating Status: Acceptance of PTECSSAN as the official body for negotiating worker welfare and salaries.
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Remittance of Dues: The immediate transfer of accumulated union membership dues into the association’s accounts.
The “Subcontracting” Dispute
A significant point of contention involves the use of subcontractors by major firms like Huawei. The union alleges that these third-party companies—including Tylium Nigeria Ltd, Specific Tools and Techniques, and Safari Group Ltd—often subject field engineers to grueling conditions, including:
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Work Overload: Forcing employees to combine multiple roles without additional pay.
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Lack of Security: Requiring field maintenance engineers to work 24-hour shifts and travel to remote sites late at night without adequate protection.
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Missing Benefits: Failure to remit pension deductions or provide health insurance as required by the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS).
Potential Impact on National Services
The workers involved in the planned strike are critical to the nation’s digital infrastructure. They include:
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Field Maintenance Engineers
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Transmission and Fibre Engineers
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Customer Service Engineers
If the strike proceeds, Nigerians could experience significant disruptions in call quality, SMS delivery, and mobile data services. The union has appealed for public understanding, emphasizing that the strike is a last resort after years of ignored grievances and failed negotiations.
