ECOBANK Workers Demand N30k Minimum Wage

By Ikhili Ebalu, Benin City

Some drivers drawn from Integrated Corporate Service Limited (ICSL), FOSAD, Harvard Security, KS Sharon and Dirt Duster, have asked the Nigeria Labour Congress, (NLC) to compel Ecobank Transitional Incorporated (ETI), Ecobank Nigeria Ltd and the NUBIFIE to pay the sum of $100b or its naira equivalent as compensation to workers whose rights have been violated under their establishments.

Principal among the issues raised against the bank was the failure to pay the approved N30,000 minimum wage.

Speaking with journalists in Benin City on behalf of the aggrieved staff on what he tagged “Discrimination in service and workers right violation”, Mr. Paulic Jesuorode Okonikhere said the burning issues raised by the workers and presented to its management have been left unattended to over the years and thus are left with no other option than to ask the NLC to press charges against them.

He listed the issues such as salary harmonization, fleet Management initiative of Ecobank, employee gratuity scheme, non implementation of the N30,000 minimum wage, no assurance cover for drivers/others and workers using their salary to buy working tools to work for the bank .

Jesuorode also lamented the nonchalant attitude of their umbrella body, NUBIFIE over their plights noting that instead of coming to their rescue but has chosen to pay a deaf ear to them.

“Our trade union (NUBIFIE) leaders abandoned us or appeared helpless to our fate despite calls, meetings in respect of the issues listed.

“We have been discriminated against by our employers and our Union leaders remain silent hence we decided to write for action” he said.

He said as a matter of fact, the NLC should call on Ecobank Nigeria and the NUBIFIE to immediately harmonize the affected staff salary now in arrears of eight years and make payment immediately while also asking for the payment of the N30,000 minimum wage as passed and signed into law which has run into  12 months and above to the affected staff.

He also called on the National Assembly to pass a law to abolish the outsourcing of staff by companies in Nigeria and to punish offenders with life imprisonment without any option of fine.

He further urged the NLC to compare Ecobank Nigeria to stop the outsourcing of workers in the bank and to emulate Ecobank in other countries that employ their staff directly.

A spokesman of the bank had not responded to an enquiry on the issue as at the time of going to press.

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