Skyway Aviation Handling Company Limited, SAHCOL, has explained why it might disengage about 250 workers from its payroll soon, as it was revealed last week (
SAHCOL May Sack 250 Workers Over 'Redundancy')
General Manager, Corporate Communications, SAHCOL, Mr. Basil Agboarumi, told correspondent on phone that the economic situation in the country led to the plan of management to disengage about 250 workers from its establishment.
Agboarumi specifically said the ground handling company was not operating in isolation of the economy, but assured that the affected workers would be given all their benefits as required by law.
He insisted that whatever step the company would take on the issue would be with human face, adding that discussions were still ongoing with the workers unions on the final decision it would take.
On allegation from the industry unions that the management only planned to give the affected workers just three months salaries in advance, he said no decision had been taken yet.
On demand of the industry unions that most of the organisation’s contract staff should be disengaged rather than sack workers who receive a paltry N40,000, Agboarumi said t the organisation engaged contract staff because they were beneficial to the system.
It would be recalled that the leading industrial union in the sector, National Union of Air Transport Workers, NUATE, had last week raised the alarm about plan by SAHCOL to prune its workforce by additional 250.
Acting General-Secretary of NUATE, Comrade Olayinka Abioye, said the unions as representatives of workers would kick severely against maltreatment of workers in the ground handling company.
Abioye told our correspondent that management of SHACOL had already notified the two unions; NUATE and the Air Transport Senior Staff Services Association of Nigeria, ATSSSAN, of its intent to sack some workers, stressing that following Section 20 of the Trade Union Act, the unions had commenced dialogue with the company.
He, however, said the proposal from management was insignificant when compared to the demand of the unions and described the stand of the management as callous.
He pointed out that several of the workers had spent up to five years in SAHCOL after its privatisation and wondered why they would only be remunerated with just three months pay.
Source: National Mirror