MTN Nigeria has denied knowledge of impending workers strike saying it is yet to receive a notification of strike action from the Private Telecommunications and Communications Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, which recently threatened to ground its activities, if the union demands are not met.
In an email statement titled ‘Response to new alleging planned industrial action’ signed by Company Secretary, Uto Ukpanah, the company said, “MTN Nigeria Communications PLC has received multiple media enquiries about a communication purportedly circulated by PTECSSAN which alleges plans for an industrial action intended to disrupt national communication services.
“The Company has not received any such communication from PTECSSAN and as such is unable to validate or comment on the issue. If there are any concerns, we are sure that they will be brought to our attention and dealt with in a mutually beneficial manner.”
It could be recalled that PTECSSAN this week issued a 14-day ultimatum to MTN to address certain issues bordering on workers welfare or face an industrial action.
In a statement, the association said the same ultimatum was issued in 2019, but was averted by the Minister of Labour and Productivity.
The association said, “Just as it was in that year, the company continues to remain adamant in listening to the cry and demand of its workers, who are members of our union.
“As daunting as those issues raised back then were, it was the firm belief of our union that the collective bargaining agreement, if negotiated in good faith and signed off by both parties, would go a long way in addressing the concerns of the workers in the organisation.
“Unfortunately, the company has remained adamant, insisting that all the workers’ conditions of service as stated in the company’s policy must remain so and cannot be negotiated. This negates the agreement they hitherto signed at the Ministry of Labour to fully negotiate the workers’ condition of service.”