Chukwudi Akasike, Port Harcourt

Some sacked oil workers, who were formerly with multinational company, Baker Hughes Nigeria Limited, took to the streets on earlier in the week to protest an alleged non-payment of the severance/redundancy packages since they were relieved of their jobs.

The ex-oil workers, who were over 300, stood for about two hours at the gate of the National Industrial Court in Port Harcourt, where they had instituted a case against their former company over the development.

The ex-oil workers lamented that the management of the company had unduly served them with redundancy letter without paying them their packages.



They claimed that the firm did not follow Nigerian Constitution before laying them off, adding that some of them had served the firm for 10 years before they were sacked.

Some of the inscriptions on the sacked oil workers’ placards read ‘Baker Hughes, pay us like Congo, Gabon, Chad, Cameroun’, ‘We make 60 percent market share in Nigeria’, ‘Please, pay us our redundancy package’ and ‘Baker Hughes, Nigerian employees are the leaders in the geo-market’.

One of them (protesters), who identified himself as Lawson, explained that having served the company for 16 years, he was surprised that he could laid off unceremoniously.

Lawson stated that most of those sacked by the company could no longer cater for themselves and their families as a result of the non-payment of their severance packages.

“We were all employed and everybody contributed to the success and growth of the company. We contributed in different ways to make sure that the company succeeded in Nigeria.

“At a stage, the company did everything possible and was able to proscribe union. The company forced us into what is called individual contract. Our worry is that we were forced to resign.

“Anybody who refused to sign that contract would be laid off. Because of the country that we are operating, you are not very sure if you would lose your job, you are going to get another one. So, we were forcefully made to sign the contract.

“In that contract, you were not told that there would be anything like redundancy in the first place. The contract did not state that. One day, the management just got up and said they were going to lay us off.

“We know that any company operating in any country would operate under the laws of the land. If there should be any redundancy, there is an act covering it, which means that before they can lay off anybody, the employee and the employer would have to have a negotiation.

“The two parties would agree so that it is well spelt out on the terms and the amount to be paid. Again, a representative from the Ministry of Labour has to be there. Baker Hughes didn’t do all these. They just started laying people off without following due process,” Lawson added.

Similarly, another former worker that was also laid off, John Ofoegbu, told newsmen that he was working when a letter came from the management of the company, directing him to leave the firm’s premises.

“I had worked for Baker Hughes for eight years. We are here in court to seek redress for the ill-treatment that was meted out on us by a company we loved so much.

“We expected them to obey the laws of the land. They should adhere to the laws of Nigeria. The Labour law states that there are steps to be taken before laying off a worker,” Ofoegbu added.

However, the National Industrial Court sitting in Port Harcourt adjourned the 277 suits filed before it by the disengaged workers of Baker Hughes Nigeria Limited till December 4, 2017, for hearing of preliminary objections by the firm, who is the defendant.

Justice Ibrahim Awal, who presided over the matter, also adjourned till November 13, 2017, 14 separate suits filed before it by widows of deceased workers, who died after being laid off by the firm.

The angry workers had approached the industrial court to prevail on the oil company to pay their redundancy package, which they put at over N13 billion.

http://punchng.com/sacked-oil-workers-protest-unpaid-severance-packages-in-rivers/

An ATIKU presidency will ensure the utmost welfare of workers, their wards,families and ward.
Let's embrace ATIKU 2019

the court should just consolidate the cases.

Zoo



They paid in other countries


But in the zoo anything goes

I haven't heard of such company before

Make God help us for this country. Most multinationals makes the highest market share here in Nigeria but they wont give you the best package as compared with their counterparts around the world. They leverage on the country minimum wage to cheat us.

Most atimes, Management deliberately cheat Local staffs so as to yearly declare excessive profit when their workers suffers.

That's why you see people working in some(not all though) multinationals are always marveled when they see what others earn in the same company outside Nigeria. It is true that cost of � running business is high in Nigeria and economic variation but even at that, make your employees live well as compared to their colleagues on the other side.

Corruption everywhere..
Mindless looting of our patrimony..
Let's bring on ATIKU 2019 TO change the narrative and the status quo

Paid employment is cheat

mesoprogress:
Chukwudi Akasike, Port Harcourt

Some sacked oil workers, who were formerly with multinational company, Baker Hughes Nigeria Limited, took to the streets on earlier in the week to protest an alleged non-payment of the severance/redundancy packages since they were relieved of their jobs.

The ex-oil workers, who were over 300, stood for about two hours at the gate of the National okIndustrial Court in Port Harcourt, where they had instituted a case against their former company over the development.

The ex-oil workers lamented that the management of the company had unduly served them with redundancy letter without paying them their packages.



They claimed that the firm did not follow Nigerian Constitution before laying them off, adding that some of them had served the firm for 10 years before they were sacked.

Some of the inscriptions on the sacked oil workers’ placards read ‘Baker Hughes, pay us like Congo, Gabon, Chad, Cameroun’, ‘We make 60 percent market share in Nigeria’, ‘Please, pay us our redundancy package’ and ‘Baker Hughes, Nigerian employees are the leaders in the geo-market’.

One of them (protesters), who identified himself as Lawson, explained that having served the company for 16 years, he was surprised that he could laid off unceremoniously.

Lawson stated that most of those sacked by the company could no longer cater for themselves and their families as a result of the non-payment of their severance packages.

“We were all employed and everybody contributed to the success and growth of the company. We contributed in different ways to make sure that the company succeeded in Nigeria.

“At a stage, the company did everything possible and was able to proscribe union. The company forced us into what is called individual contract. Our worry is that we were forced to resign.

“Anybody who refused to sign that contract would be laid off. Because of the country that we are operating, you are not very sure if you would lose your job, you are going to get another one. So, we were forcefully made to sign the contract.

“In that contract, you were not told that there would be anything like redundancy in the first place. The contract did not state that. One day, the management just got up and said they were going to lay us off.

“We know that any company operating in any country would operate under the laws of the land. If there should be any redundancy, there is an act covering it, which means that before they can lay off anybody, the employee and the employer would have to have a negotiation.

“The two parties would agree so that it is well spelt out on the terms and the amount to be paid. Again, a representative from the Ministry of Labour has to be there. Baker Hughes didn’t do all these. They just started laying people off without following due process,” Lawson added.

Similarly, another former worker that was also laid off, John Ofoegbu, told newsmen that he was working when a letter came from the management of the company, directing him to leave the firm’s premises.

“I had worked for Baker Hughes for eight years. We are here in court to seek redress for the ill-treatment that was meted out on us by a company we loved so much.

“We expected them to obey the laws of the land. They should adhere to the laws of Nigeria. The Labour law states that there are steps to be taken before laying off a worker,” Ofoegbu added.

However, the National Industrial Court sitting in Port Harcourt adjourned the 277 suits filed before it by the disengaged workers of Baker Hughes Nigeria Limited till December 4, 2017, for hearing of preliminary objections by the firm, who is the defendant.

Justice Ibrahim Awal, who presided over the matter, also adjourned till November 13, 2017, 14 separate suits filed before it by widows of deceased workers, who died after being laid off by the firm.

The angry workers had approached the industrial court to prevail on the oil company to pay their redundancy package, which they put at over N13 billion.

http://punchng.com/sacked-oil-workers-protest-unpaid-severance-packages-in-rivers/

Not good

ATIKUisCOOL:
An ATIKU presidency will ensure the utmost welfare of workers, their wards,families and ward.
Let's embrace ATIKU 2019

we don't want recycled product Biko tell Atiku to give chance to new leaders and we would forever idolise him.

ATIKUisCOOL:
An ATIKU presidency will ensure the utmost welfare of workers, their wards,families and ward.
Let's embrace ATIKU 2019

U dey find recognition from Atiku abi.... na hustling sha

You got the gist well. That's exactly what is happening.
Most of the local management end up being your countrymen

Aol360:
Make God help us for this country. Most multinationals makes the highest market share here in Nigeria but they wont give you the best package as compared with their counterparts around the world. They leverage on the country minimum wage to cheat us.

Most atimes, Management deliberately cheat Local staffs so as to yearly declare excessive profit when their workers suffers.

That's why you see people working in some(not all though) multinationals are always marveled when they see what others earn in the same company outside Nigeria. It is true that cost of � running business is high in Nigeria and economic variation but even at that, make your employees live well as compared to their colleagues on the other side.

ENDTIMEgist:


we don't want recycled product Biko tell Atiku to give chance to new leaders and we would forever idolise him.

It is sad when you see a youth jumping up and down on Nairaland campaigning for Atiku . Atiku and his fellow crook Obasanjo during the ASUU strike went ahead to create their own universities instead of attending to the rot and decay of our universities. Youths in the universities were all struggling due to the fact that the Federal government then was not ready to fulfil their part of the agreement.

What a country!

ENDTIMEgist:


we don't want recycled product Biko tell Atiku to give chance to new leaders and we would forever idolise him.

But we've seen how awful our supposed youths are.
Dino and Yayaha Bello are pointers to that.
An ATIKU presidency will definitely put the country on a path that'll ensure a smooth take by sound youths.

To breakout of this matrix-pyramidal-occultic world, start your own biz empire.

And Dr. Maikanti Baru sha.....

ATIKUisCOOL:


But we've seen how awful our supposed youths are.
Dino and Yayaha Bello are pointers to that.
An ATIKU presidency will definitely put the country on a path that'll ensure a smooth take by sound youths.

Don't be too sure... Over dependency on old hags isn't really good...

Point of correction; Dino & Bello ain't youths...

daylife7:

U dey find recognition from Atiku abi.... na hustling sha

Nah..
Am just contributing my 1kobo to make naija great again.
And ATIKU is the sure bet

ATIKUisCOOL:


But we've seen how awful our supposed youths are.
Dino and Yayaha Bello are pointers to that.
An ATIKU presidency will definitely put the country on a path that'll ensure a smooth take by sound youths.

Still tell Atiku that we need our youths to take charge and we have people who are better, we can't use Dino and Bello to judge the whole Nigerian youths.

ATIKUisCOOL:
Corruption everywhere..
Mindless looting of our patrimony..
Let's bring on ATIKU 2019 TO change the narrative and the status quo

You have been paid to come here and start spamming this forum with Atiku blah blah blah... I know you are a kid who did not understand how terrible Nigerians have suffered in the hands of people like Atiku.

I take God beg you.... If you do not see any young man who is visionary and has a strategic plan for the recovery of Nigeria just return the money you've collected from Atiku. One love

ATIKUisCOOL:


Nah..
Am just contributing my 1kobo to make naija great again.
And ATIKU is the sure bet

Abeg quiet.... u want Atiku to sorry for with small... at least head of nairaland campaign

Nukilia:


It is sad when you see a youth jumping up and down on Nairaland campaigning for Atiku . Atiku and his fellow crook Obasanjo during the ASUU strike went ahead to create their own universities instead of attending to the rot and decay of our universities. Youths in the universities were all struggling due to the fact that the Federal government then was not ready to fulfil their part of the agreement.

What a country!

Bros the matter is tiring oh, These old men nor wan leave the country for new set of leaders .

Port Harcourt is the worst hit town in this hard times!

If you see how some managers brag and boast about their positions you may think they will last forever in those positions.

I'm not in anyway supporting the idea of laying people off without observing due protocol in accordance with the labour act. But people should try as much as possible to make good use of every position to make their team members and subordinates happy and not treat them as if they are animals without respect. Nothing last forever. You never can tell if that junior will one day become as great as you were or the company might decide to retrench you and retain the juniors. That junior who knows, might be your saviour responsible for the process of your gratuity after service.

ENDTIMEgist:


Bros the matter is tiring oh, These old men nor wan leave the country for new set of leaders .

Those were the same youths who were used to BRAND Buhari and package an incompetent crooks for Nigerians.

The disastrous attitude of Jonathan further destroyed the economy.

We cannot continue like this...

AishaBuhari:

Don't be too sure... Over dependency on old hags isn't really good...

Point of correction; Dino & Bello ain't youths...

What's your own definition of youths..?
Both Bello and Dino a little over 40.
ATIKU realized the significance of youths in real time development.
Preisdnet XI xepeng of China has been endorsed by Hus Communists Party with no single youth in the Politburo.
In essence, serious governance for a developing economies like ours needs a selfless,experienced and pragmatic individual.In ATIKU we see that,and he's learnt his lessons and willing to correct whatever mistake he'd done.

daylife7:

Abeg quiet.... u want Atiku to sorry for with small... at least head of nairaland campaign

I hope you're not frustrated this early?
Don't worry,together we can work for a better Nigeria.
Come join the ATIKU train.

ATIKUisCOOL:
An ATIKU presidency will ensure the utmost welfare of workers, their wards,families and ward.
Let's embrace ATIKU 2019

Who be dis one. Wasn't dat wat people thought before buhari came onboard. Now see where we at now.

bekongtony:
I haven't heard of such company before

wetin this wan they talk sef

ATIKUisCOOL:


I hope you're not frustrated this early?
Don't worry,together we can work for a better Nigeria.
Come join the ATIKU train.

Am frustrated for u to think the headmaster of thieves corruption and looters will make Nigeria great. The man as VP, almost brought the whole Nigeria for himself with Nigerians' w money......