Workers picket Nigeria Ropes PLC factory

NATIONAL Union of Textile, Garment and Tailoring Workers of Nigeria (NUTG) has picketed the
Nigerian Ropes Plc over N47 million owed its workers and non-remittance of deductions.
  The deductions include; unremitted tax deduction to the state government, contributory pension and non-payment of N1.8 million death allowance to a late staff.
  The rest are N3.6 million unremitted co-operative deduction, N1.3 million staff compensatory benefit, 15 per cent increase in salary, N238 union dues and non-payment of accident claims.
  Speaking to the workers, the General Secretary of the union, Mr Isa Aremu said that the objective of the protest was to draw the attention of employers to the need for decent work place in Nigeria.
  Mr Aremu said it was regrettable that the 47-year old company and one of the oldest in Nigeria, was owing workers 37 months' salary accruing to N 47 million.
  ``The N47 million money deducted as taxes to government must be paid. There is need to respect the right of workers in Nigeria.
  ``When we met with the management to dialogue, they said they will lay off 41 out of 65 workers. We told them to pay the entitlement of the workers,'' he explained.
  He said that the Federal Ministry of Labour and Productivity has scheduled a meeting with the union and the workers to find a solution to the problem.
  Mr Aremu cautioned security officials to protect and defend the workers rather than become instrument to be used to lock out workers.
  Earlier, Mr Mathew Erogena, branch chairman of NUTG said that the problem started in 2012 when the workers discovered that the management was not remitting their monies.
  According to Erogena, when the in-house union wrote to the management, they replied indicating their plans to lay off workers.