• Hotel rejects allegation
Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja
Trade Union Congress (TUC) on Monday staged a protest at the premises of Abuja Continental Hotel located in Central District of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.
TUC accused the management of the hotel facility of anti-labour practices by preventing its employees from belonging to Hotel Workers Union, an affiliate of TUC.
As early as 6am, protesting members of the union stormed the hotel and blocked its entry and exit routes chanting solidarity songs.
FCT Police Command promptly deployed its men to the scene to prevent any violence.
Addressing the protesters, TUC General Secretary, Dr. Nuhu Toro, said the reason the union embarked on the picketing of the hotel was its management’s refusal to dialogue with the union over demand to allow workers willing to belong to the union to do so.
Toro said the union was out to ensure the hotel workers regained their right to unionisation and collective bargaining.
He stated, “The issue is very clear. The hotel workers are being treated like slaves in Abuja Continental Hotel.
“Their rights have been violated. They are not allowed to exercise their fundamental human rights. And that is why we are here.”
Toro explained that TUC had written to the hotel management on August 4, inviting them for a discussion to try to resolve the issue amicably, but they failed to accommodate dialogue.
He said, “To our surprise, the management of Abuja Continental Hotel wrote us back to say owing to renovation exercise going on, they might not be available to discuss with us until end of November. How does that make sense to you? We are talking about workers’ rights being violated.
“We are talking about workers being treated as slaves. And you are postponing it until the renovation is done. Invariably, which means by the time they are done with the renovation, all our workers will have died.”
In response to the TUC action, the management of Abuja Continental Hotel rejected the allegation of anti-labour practices, saying it is not opposed to the right of workers to associate freely.
In a statement signed by Cluster Director, Human Resources, Abuja Continental Hotel, Niyi Agoro, the hotel said, “While we respect the fundamental right of workers to freedom of association and to express legitimate concerns, we categorically reject the allegations of unfair labour practices and the assertion that management has prevented or attempted to prevent employees from exercising their right to associate.
“Abuja Continental Hotel is not opposed to the right of workers to associate freely. We know that this right is guaranteed under Section 40 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended), and management fully respects it.
“Management recognises the right to peaceful protest, we are concerned by the forceful blockade of the hotel’s access points, which has inconvenienced guests, employees, business partners, and other stakeholders.
“Management is working with the relevant security and regulatory authorities to safeguard lives and property, maintain public order, and ensure that access to the hotel is managed in accordance with applicable laws.”
As at noon, the workers were still blocking the two entrance gates of the hotel expecting the management to respond to their demands.
The TUC general secretary said the union had resolved to continue with the picketing till Friday unless the management agreed to dialogue.
On his part, General Secretary, Nigeria Union of Allied Health Professionals (NUAP), a TUC affiliate, Comrade Martin Egbanubi, said the union was out to enforce the relevant sections of the trade union law, which conferred on workers the right to belong to trade unions.
Egbanubi said, “We are here to enforce the law, because the law has provided that workers anywhere have the right to work. We have gathered this body to say that the workers of Abuja Continental Hotel must belong to trade unions.
“We are here as Nigerian citizens, that the Chapter 4 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999, as amended, has conferred the right to belong to trade unions. And that is why we are here.”
National President, Hotels and Personal Services Senior Staff Association (HAPSSAN), Comrade Iyeh Adegbe, traced the origin of the conflict, saying it started shortly after the new investor took over from the owners of the old Sheraton Hotel.
Adegbe said the new managers told the workers that union was a taboo and they were not allowed join any union.
He stated, “Continental Hotel has a history. Even Continental in Lagos. The same thing that is happening in Abuja is happening in Lagos.
“To go down a little back to memory lane, Sheraton Hotel that these people took over, there was union here.
“But after COVID-19 and these people took over as a new investor, they told their employees that union is a taboo and they have established this place like a slave camp.”