Some aggrieved workers of the MTN call centre in Jos, have threatened to shut down the facilities over alleged “exploitation’’ by the management of the local station.

The workers told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Jos yesterday that the communication outfit promised an upward review of their wages after confirming their appointments.

“When we were recruited two years ago, we were given a flat salary of N35,000 per month with a promise that the figure would be ‘significantly increased’ after we were confirmed.

“But to our dismay, we were only given a flat rate of N2,000. We find that simply unbelievable because our contemporaries in other states are paid between N100,000 and N120,000,’’ the workers claimed.

A worker, who pleaded anonymity, said they were no fewer than 2,000 and insisted that they would shut down the centre if the management continued what they described as ‘organised exploitation.

“We do the same work with other colleagues in Lagos, Kano and Kaduna. There is no reason why the workers in those call centres should earn more than twice our wages here.

“Again, we run similar shifts. We went through similar training, so it is confusing that we should earn less than half of their own wages.’’

NAN learnt that MTN contracted a Lagos-based private firm, CNSSL Contact Centre Limited, to recruit workers for the take-off of the Call Centre in 2010.

Documents made available to NAN in Jos indicated that CNSSL placed each worker on a salary of N120,000 a month instead of N35,000 the workers claimed they were receiving.

The staff, who said they suspected a rip-off, also claimed that the local management made some deductions from their salaries, monies meant for rice and oil given to them by MTN during Christmas.

“We know MTN usually gives such gifts free to its workers and even some customers while we were asked to pay for such items here is surprising,’’ one of the workers added.

They alleged that the centres were owned by some senior managers of MTN.

The staff also accused MTN of preventing them from forming a workers’ union and described the situation as ``unfair’’, saying the Nigeria Labour Congress and the Plateau Government should intervene.

The Regional Technical Officer of CNSSL in Jos, Mr Adeboh Ejiga, refused to comment on the allegations and claimed that he was not allowed to speak to the media. -NAN


http://dailytrust.com.ng/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=153955:aggrieved-workers-threaten-to-shut-down-mtn-call-centres&catid=16:labour-report&Itemid=14

Mods, pls bring out this topic and the links so people can have acess to message, you never can tell it may lead to the betterment of the affected workers. I ve tried several times to bring the link and the story but its difficult cos am using phone to post

Documents made available to NAN in Jos indicated that CNSSL placed each worker on a salary of N120,000 a month instead of N35,000 the workers claimed they were receiving.

Classic. From the police to the civil service.

chakaz:

Documents made available to NAN in Jos indicated that CNSSL placed each worker on a salary of N120,000 a month instead of N35,000 the workers claimed they were receiving.

Who is stealing the remaining 85k?The parties involved should be uncovered and prosecuted.

Nigeria my country, I de hail una. If I talk say every Nigeria is corrupt una go wan wire me

this is so true, got someone working there, and the same company as i heard wanted to go open up anoda branch in Ilorin and offer N60,000 as salary, that's what started the spark with the Jos guys. All those guys have been working on have been promises, it will get better but for how long? pray something good comes out of this, more companies like this in Nigeria should be exposed, they just exploit innocent, desperate Nigerian Youths.

Imagine you leaving Lagos to Jos for a job of about 3wks interview (2 or 3 stages, including boarding) for just N35,000. na inside u go rent house ooo,
Did i hear u say u cant? trust me, take a trip to this call center, them they recruit like anything, different sets, majority from Lagos, se na all this guys get where to stay in Jos? its just crazy, glad they are exposed, lets see what happens afterwards,

thus exploitation is verywhere, from banks to communications and to oil and gas, its just unfair how people could take advantage of others just cos there re no jobs but i believe IT IS WELL

please, if u can re-phrase the topic at the front page, its not about MTN per say but the contracted company, CNSSL and the descrimination of paying staffs N35,000 while their counterparts are earning 100/120k for the same job and u have it in your books you are paying 120k,

Let the truth prevail

This can of thing is everywhere very coming in the upstream oil sector in this country. The government should look into it .Alot of Nigerians are trap with no future in this companies.

if dey had 100 worker in jos. It mean the cabel will takes 8,500,000 i.e 8.5 million naira home at the end of the month for doing notin. BLOOD OF JESUS!
Http://nairareport.com - update you on the latest nigeria news from the popular newspaper and twitter.
Love u all

yemiomodada:

if dey had 100 worker in jos. It mean the cabel will takes 8,500,000 i.e 8.5 million naira home at the end of the month for doing notin. BLOOD OF JESUS!
Http://nairareport.com - update you on the latest nigeria news from the popular newspaper and twitter.
Love u all

Imargin, the level of extorsion!

dustydee:

Classic. From the police to the civil service.

Police concessions security to robbers complete with weapons, bankers round trip, sell currency and loan out money to their interests knowing there's no hope of repayment, civil servants give out contracts to themselves without the requisite competence or capability. Oil companies export crude and give out LPO's for the supply of fuel for their use. NNPC has mortgaged the treasury of the country to oil pirates who import one consignment for six and dare to call it selfless service. Now managers in GSM outfits own call centre concessions, haba. Certainly not strange that salaries are split 1 to 3. This country and corruption is a hand in a glove. We have not suffered enough yet.

I am sure these managers will make the loudest noise when it comes to calling the politicians thieves. Naija

Nawa o! Greed, corruption, exploitation, slavery. This country stinks!

When will all this exploitation stop in this country? Wetin be 35k for a month? Na wa o!

At the end of the day, if proper investigation is done into this allegation, as usual, it might be found out that CNSSL(http://www.cnssl.net/), the contracting company is an MTN insider / stakeholder.

On the other hand, a friend of mine works in a so called "telecommnications" company in Lagos. He told me a story of how some staff's salary(NGN20,000 per month) got an increment of NGN100 (one hundred naira) after 1-year.

While i believe the employers should pay fair wages, i think it is rather irrational to expect call center workers in Jos to earn the same amount as those in Lagos even if they perform the same duties. The standard of living in the two cities is different. The lagos workers probably pay twice or three times the rent of their counterparts in Jos. Smae thing for transportation.
What they should fight for is review of salaries and not use other states as justification because their arguement will be irrelevant.

[color=#000099][/color]how pathetic and terrible! I have alot of friends in cnssl jos, at their rayfield call centre, it is terrible ooo.and they can sack! Ahhh so bad! Why would smbdy take people's sweat? Nigeria needs transformation, those people who would be found out to be involved in this funds mismanagement should be brought to justice, its painful na, haba

phuck_NL:

While i believe the employers should pay fair wages, i think it is rather irrational to expect call center workers in Jos to earn the same amount as those in Lagos even if they perform the same duties. The standard of living in the two cities is different. The lagos workers probably pay twice or three times the rent of their counterparts in Jos. Smae thing for transportation.
What they should fight for is review of salaries and not use other states as justification because their arguement will be irrelevant.

im so sowi to say,u'r wrong, the workload is d same so why shud there be difference in the payment? Jos isnt as backward or less competitive as it is made to be, there is the issue of bikes,housing problems and so on, owkay,if u say the workin cnditns and all,why do lagosians leave their cnssl cal centres and cm to jos to wrk? And even at that,they cmplain of standard of living, 35k? For a sensitive job as that? And smtin dats got to do with MTN? Im sowi,no harm plssss,buh i fink u shud reconsider.

When we (@airtel) started our protests, u guys shld hv done something den!
Nw things are getting brighter 4 us due to d struggle we underwent under d aegis of NUPTE

u guys shld do so! Way 4wd, unionize 1st!

Mbuko91:

im so sowi to say,u'r wrong, the workload is d same so why shud there be difference in the payment? Jos isnt as backward or less competitive as it is made to be, there is the issue of bikes,housing problems and so on, owkay,if u say the workin cnditns and all,why do lagosians leave their cnssl cal centres and cm to jos to wrk? And even at that,they cmplain of standard of living, 35k? For a sensitive job as that? And smtin dats got to do with MTN? Im sowi,no harm plssss,buh i fink u shud reconsider.

No where in my post did i try to belittle the jos workers or whatever job they are performing. I clearly stated that employers need to pay their employees right. My only arguement was the quote from the workers comparing their wages with those of their counterparts in Lagos. I am not saying they necessarilly can not earn the same wage. Standard of living and cost of living for both cities differ so they cant use Lagos as a reason for their salary. They should definitely fight for an increase but i doubt that "we should earn the same as those in lagos" will fly.

@phuck Nl,am surprise that dis is cumin out 4rm u, bkus u think the cost of living in lagos is high then they should be denied of their dividends, huh?, u re getin it all wrong, it is dsame amount of money u spend in lagos to leav a standard life u stil spend anywhere u find urslf hence naija concern, no harsh feelings

this is just so true. more than a year ago now, I took their test and went for interviews twice all which i was successful at. I was called to resume work but i didnt eventually go after i got an hint that the salary is just 35k a month. considering the fact that Jos has its own *uprising* at times you cant imagine, i felt its not worth it travelling hundreds of miles away to earn 35k a month, an amounnt that cant even take care of your rent and transport not to talk of feeding. Salary hasnt been reviewed for those who took the job offer. i will call it mega expolitation,

MTN- Most Terrible Network at it again. Ripping-off customers and ripping their employees.

still on it ooo, as we speak the matter is dying down and nobody is doing anytin about it cos these workers still received there salary and na still d same tin ooo, realli wish they wil do something, even if not up to d 85k, at least step it up reasonably, dis is how naija go do & no review go happen, all the talk and exposure will just be swept under the carpet, and d company still wins it all, OGA OOO

guys, I'm happy to let u know that at last it as started. the cry of the people at least as gotten to the ear of some concerned and they have moved into action. just this morn, NLC visited this center in Jos and prevented staffs to resume normal duties. in one of the pix below, the man in white, boss of the company even denied entrance into the compound. NLC, with 5 reps of staff and management will have a meeting later in the day. lets keep our hands crossed and hope something good comes out of this and also would like if MTN themselves will intervene at least for the sake of their brand.

please lets all follow this up in anyway we can, this guys really need this revival...and please MOD, topics like this i think should spend more time in front page, as to give Nigerians update, so the know how all this ends and not just swept under the carpet plus there are so many other companies out there, if they record success with this, it might just be the beginning of putting things right in our labor market, remember the case of Airtel..thanks all.