By| Goodluck E.Adubazi, Abuja
The Trade Union Congress (TUC) has said management of Abuja Continental Hotel has agreed to engage in dialogue with the workers’ union over the ongoing dispute concerning workers’ right to unionise.
TUC President, Comrade Festus Osifo, disclosed this on Wednesday while speaking with journalists at a press conference held at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Abuja.
Osifo said the labour union had successfully carried out its protest at the Abuja Continental Hotel, after which it engaged with the Department of State Services (DSS) and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Commissioner of Police on the matter.
According to him, the intervention of the security agencies helped to establish that unionisation is a fundamental right of workers and that no employee should be victimised for exercising such a right.
“On the protests that was carried out in Abuja Continental Hotel, yes, we were there. We had a very successful outing and that led us to having interactions with the State Security Service. We had interaction with the DSS and we had interaction with the FCT Commissioner of Police,” Osifo said.
He explained that the FCT Commissioner of Police subsequently summoned the hotel management and made it clear that workers had the right to unionise without fear of victimisation.
“He told them clearly that unionisation is workers’ right and that no worker should be victimised because he or she chooses to exercise the right to unionisation,” the TUC president stated.
Osifo further disclosed that a meeting had been scheduled for October 12 to continue discussions between the parties and resolve the outstanding issues.
“Currently, a meeting has been fixed for 12th of October for us to further that dialogue. 12th of October is just next week, Monday, so we are expecting that they come to that meeting and all issues be resolved,” he added.
