Labour’s Unionisation Push Sparks Worker Revolt At Abuja Continental Hotel

Workers of the Abuja Continental Hotel on Monday rejected moves to unionise them as the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) and the Nigeria Labour Congress(NLC) picketed the hotel over alleged anti-labour practices.

The protest took a new turn when the same workers the unions claimed to be defending said they did not invite labour and were not interested in joining any union.

Through their affiliates, TUC and NLC had accused management of denying workers the right to unionise and bargain collectively. But the workers said they were not carried along and preferred to deal directly with management.

Some workers displayed placards with messages like “The union are not representing us” and “TUC does not speak for us.”

Speaking for the workers, Samuel Esiakpoyere said they were unaware of any correspondence between the unions and management and should have been involved since the issue concerns them.

He warned that the picketing could damage the business and hurt the workers labour claimed to be helping.

“The management, they are doing their best, and we know that whatever we are going through is going to be a lot better. It’s going to be a lot better. We don’t want the union to kill us in trying to help us. If truly, the agenda that they are here for is to help us, you don’t have to kill us.

“You don’t have to stop the business. You don’t have to destroy everything because you want to make a point. It doesn’t work that way. To the best of my knowledge, I do not know who they are talking about. That is all I have to say. We are saying no to unionisation,” he declared.

The TUC, however, dismissed the workers’ stance, insisting that many employees want to join the union but are being intimidated.

TUC General Secretary, Nuhu Toro, said labour wrote to management on August 4 to seek dialogue, but the hotel replied it would not be available until November due to renovation.

He described the response as unacceptable given allegations of rights violations, adding that workers were being “treated as slaves.”

Toro maintained that the picketing was to press for the right to unionisation, collective bargaining and free association under Section 40 of the Constitution.

He also said the TUC had documentary evidence of its correspondence with management and had shared it with the police and DSS.

Toro announced that the picketing would continue until Friday, after which labour would review the situation.

He added that the action was being led by the Hotel and Personal Services Senior Staff Association(HPSSA) and the National Union of Hotels and Personal Services Employees.

Also speaking, National President of HPSSA, William Adegbe, alleged that union activities had been discouraged at the hotel since new investors took over after COVID-19, a pattern he said also exists at the Lagos property.

He accused management of running the hotel “like a slave camp” and denying workers access to conditions of service.

Adegbe further alleged that some workers who spoke against the union were being intimidated and threatened with job loss, while others were reaching out secretly for help.