By Modupe Gbadeyanka
The office of Galba Nigeria Plc in Rivers State was on Tuesday locked by aggrieved workers protesting their unpaid salaries for 19 months.
The demonstrators alleged that management of the firm has failed to pay them despite getting jobs from multinational oil and gas firms in the country.
The workers, under the aegis of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), Trade Union Congress (TUC), the United Action for Democracy and staffs of Automobile, Boatyards, Transport Equipment and Allied Senior Staff Association (AUTOBATE), stormed premises of the company, carrying placards conveying various messages.
They cried to members of the public to save them from what they described as ‘violation of condition of service’ and injustice.
General Secretary of AUTOBATE, Mr Sola Olorunfemi, informed newsmen that several efforts made to amicably resolve the issues with management of Galba failed.
“Galba owes workers since November 2015 and after all efforts to engage the management in meaningful discussion proved abortive, we had to come all the way from Lagos to support our members,” the association’s scribe said.
He further alleged that the management had been playing pranks on members of the union in Rivers State, lamenting that some workers have lost their lives as a result of the non-payment of salaries.
“We have recorded about five persons dead over the level of suffering inflicted on the workers by the company.
“We will hold this company hostage, there will be no practical operation in this premises until our demand are met,” he threatened.
On his part, Chairman of AUTOBATE in Galba Plc, Mr Innocent Udongfo, accused the management of the company of negligence and urged them to meet the demands of the worker.
“We can no longer pay our rents and our children are out of school. We are calling on the management to pay our salaries from 2015 till today. And to remit all our union dues from 2010 till date.
“They should implement our total emolument of the condition of service duly signed in the employment manual.
“Several negotiations with Galba management could not work because they always want to play over our intelligence.
“They don’t even listen to us. Anytime we have opportunity to meet with the management they will walk us out,” Mr Udongfo said.
