IBEDC workers commence indefinite strike, shut Ogun office

Staff of the Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company have begun an indefinite strike over the non-implementation of the new minimum wage, non-remittance of pension and cooperative deductions, and the alleged dismissal of 17 staff members, among other welfare concerns.

The workers, who began the strike on Monday, were seen milling around  while the main gate of the Ogun Region office of IBEDC in Abeokuta remained locked on Thursday.

Abiodun Shobayo, the Vice President of the National Union of Electricity Employees, Lagos/Ogun Zone, speaking on the development, said the workers had no option but to embark on the strike after months of failed negotiations with the IBEDC management.

According to Shobayo, “We are here this morning to say enough is enough. The IBEDC management cannot continue to take us for granted on issues we have raised for about nine months,” Shobayo said.

“For instance, our pension and cooperative deductions, running into billions of naira, have not been remitted. We are not given imprest, and workers have been using their personal funds to fix electricity faults and distribute bills.

“The management is not ready to implement the new minimum wage or even negotiate, claiming there is no money. They have also been sacking workers indiscriminately without following due process.

“Seventeen of our members have already been affected, and we have said this cannot stand. We have exercised patience, but it seems the management has a hidden agenda. Just recently, 900 staff of Kaduna Electricity Distribution Company were sacked; we do not want the same situation here.

“Seventy per cent of the workers here are casual staff, which is unacceptable. This strike is indefinite until the management sees reason. The action affects all IBEDC franchise areas, covering the six states of the South-West, as well as Kwara and Kogi.”

Shobayo added that the union’s demands include the immediate payment of all outstanding entitlements and the reinstatement of sacked workers before any negotiations to end the strike can begin.