Oyo State chapter of the Campaign for Democratic and Workers Rights, CDWR, has condemned the arbitrary sack and dismissal of workers at GX Foods Limited in Ibadan.
CDWR made the condemnation on Tuesday at a Press Conference held at the Secretariat of the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, in Ibadan.
The group alleged that GX Food Limited engages in “various forms of indecent labour practices and habitual violation of several provision in the Nigeria Labour Acts often carried out by the management of the company. The first and the most worrisome among the GX FOOD LIMITED indecent labour practices is that its workers were employed with terms of employment that is at variance with necessary provision of the Nigeria Labour act.”
“Take for instance, the term of employment through which the company recruits its workers often lack provision for certain allowances like transport, housing, medical (even provision of National Health Insurance Scheme through HMO as mandated by government) as well as other benefits like break period including sick leave in the terms of employment.
“This is inconsistent with section 7 of Labour Act. It is also in violation of section 13 of Labour Act which among other things, mandates break period and rest day.
“GX FOODS LIMITED is also known for another indecent labour practice where by workers employment is arbitrarily terminated on frivolous reasons without notice and payment lieu. A classical instance of this kind of practice is when a female worker was sacked without any query or provision of avenue for fair hearing on unverified speculation that she abuses her boss.
“The act of forcing workers to resign most of the time by the General Manager, GM of the company, Mr Babatunde Arowosegbe, and sacked immediately after the submission of the resignation letters is also one of the sharp malpractices and unhealthy labour practices under which workers in GX FOOD LIMITED groan.
“Arbitrary deductions in the salary of workers is another indecent labour practices often perpetrate by GX FOODS LIMITED management against its workers. For instance, since June 2019 over 50% of the amount of salary earn by each of the workers have always been deducted by the company management on monthly basis without any notification that signify official reduction in their monthly pay as it being stipulated in the respective offer of appointment,” a press statement issued at the of the conference read in part.
The group then demanded the immediate payment of all the entitlements and benefits of the Workers of GX Foods Limited.
They also called on the leadership of organised labour in Oyo state, NLC and TUC as well as pro-masses organisations and activists for an immediate intervention to ensure workers get their entitlements and the indecent labour practice comes to an end.
Attempts by OYOINSIGHT.COM to reach the General Manager of the company, Babtunde Arowosegbe proved futile as his number was not reachable.
