‘No promotions in over 10 years’, AEDC workers threaten strike

Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) workers have threatened to resume a suspended strike if management fails to resolve long-standing industrial disputes within two weeks.

The National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE) and the Senior Staff Association of Electricity and Allied Companies (SSAEAC) issued separate letters to the company’s management, warning that failure to address their grievances would lead to immediate industrial action.

AEDC, one of Nigeria’s distribution companies (discos), supplies electricity to the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Kogi, Niger, and Nasarawa States.

In their letters, the unions accused the company of neglecting several agreements reached in 2023, including the non-promotion and continued stagnation of staff for over a decade.

Among the issues raised were the non-remittance of pension deductions for 16 months, non-implementation of the national minimum wage, non-confirmation of acting appointments, and non-regularization of ad-hoc staff.

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Other complaints included the total collapse of health services due to unpaid hospital bills, undue interference by the board in daily operations, non-remittance of 10 months of PAYE deductions, and the non-payment of 2024 productivity bonuses, union dues, and other third-party deductions.

NUEE’s letter, signed by Assistant General Secretary (Liaison), Opaluwa Simeon, stated: “It is worthy of note to remind you that workers, within the last 90 days, have raised the company’s collection by over ₦95 billion. This milestone was achieved through dedicated services without the provision of necessary working materials. Business Districts are no longer funded.”

He further lamented the harsh conditions faced by workers, saying “We have significantly lost a huge number of members to death owing to pressure and precarious work conditions.”

The union warned of the resumption of industrial action suspended in November 2024.

“Consequent upon the above, you are hereby put on notice of our readiness to resume the suspended action on the 27th November, 2024, and this shall commence anytime from the date of the receipt of this letter without an additional notice.”

On its part, SSAEAC, in a letter signed by Deputy General Secretary (Corporate Communications), Rosemary Odeh, gave the AEDC management a two-week ultimatum to address the issues or risk disruption of operations.

The unions said the failure to resolve the issues showed a clear disregard for staff welfare, warning that if concrete steps were not taken immediately, power supply in the serviced areas could be affected.

NIGERIAN TRIBUNE