Ebonyi: Sacked company workers demand reinstatement

The 18 sacked workers of the First Patriot Limited, former Royal Salt Company, has demanded for their immediate reinstatement.
The workers at a press briefing in Abakaliki on Thursday said that they would employ legitimate means to ensure that they get justice from the company.
Mr Sunday Sule, who spoke on behalf of the sacked workers, said that they were sacked for demanding enhanced salary package, better condition of service and improved safety conditions.
Sule said the sacked staff were representatives of workers who liaise between the management and workers of the company for smooth management-worker relationship.
“Workers, through their representatives, wrote to management to draw attention to the poor salary package, poor safety standard and poor welfare of workers.
“Management rather than address issues raised by workers in their letter, which bothered on improved condition of service, singled out the two signatories of the letter and sacked them.
“We demanded from management why the workers, who were acting on behalf of the entire workers, should be sacked.
“The agitation for reinstatement of the two workers dragged, leading to series of meetings between the workers’ representatives and management.
“We took our agitation to the state government and other important community leaders and chiefs in Ikwo Local Government Area hosting the company, yet the management declined to lift the sack and reinstate the workers.
“We issued a 21-day ultimatum to management to reinstate the workers unconditionally or face a show down from workers.
“But rather than meet our demand, on August 8, two days to the expiration of the ultimatum, the 16 of us who are serving as workers representatives were issued sack letters.
“We are, therefore, appealing to both state and federal governments and rights based organisations to intervene in the situation because we are law abiding Nigerian citizens who are being abused and victimised.
“We seek nothing but justice and reinstatement to our job in the company,” Sule said.
Alio Obi, the company’s Director of Public Affairs, said that the workers were sacked for gross insubordination and indulgence in acts inimical to the growth of the company.
He said their sack followed due process and was done in line with the laid down rules and practice of the company.
Obi said the sacked workers were not asking for bread and butter but rather engaged in acts of insurbordination and issuing of ultimatum against the policy and practice of the company.
“Their sack was done in line with the company’s rule and with regard to due process of law,” he said.