Electricity workers threaten to shut down plant

THERE is a loomingnationwide blackout as electricity workers, under the aegis of Senior Staff Association of Electricity and Allied Companies (SSAEAC), have threatened to shut down operations.The association said its members would down tools if the 50 per cent salary increase negotiated in May 2011 and meant to take effect from June 2011 was not implemented before October 31, 2011.SSAEAC, in a letter signed by its secretary- general, Comrade Abiodun Ogunsegan and directed to the Minister of Power also warned that the workers should not be held responsible by the government for any action taken by them if the agreement reached on the 50 per cent salary increase was not implemented by the end of this month.Part of the letter which was copied the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) read: 'We need to inform you that in breach of our line of communication, the honourable minister dispatched letters to market operators, the CEOs and station heads on the payment of the negotiated 50 per cent salary increase, thereby creating serious distortion in information flow.'The 50 per cent salary increase negotiated in May 2011 was to take effect from June 2011 and effected in staff salaries from September, 2011 as government stated and pleaded in the negotiations with the unions in July, 2011.'However, the report we received from our members is that the new pay is yet to be computed for payment due to the lackadaisical attitude and lack of commitment of the management and the government to the new salary.'We wish to draw your attention to the increasing uneasiness among our members due to the refusal to pay as agreed and wish to inform you that we will not be held responsible for any action taken by the workers, if by October 31, 2011 payment of arrears of the 50 per cent salary increase from June to September 2011 and salary of October incorporating the 50per cent is not effected.
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