Bimbola Oyesola
Nigeria’s Organised Labour in the hopitality industry have warned the managements of Airport Hotel, Sheraton Hotels and other industry operators to beware of deliberately owing workers salary under the pretext of COVID-19.
The Hotel and Personal Service Senior Staff Association (HAPSSA) which issued the warning said some employers in the industry are now taking some action contrary to industrial relations rules which may imperil industrial peace in the sector.
President of HAPSSSA, Adegbe William Iyeh, who spoke with Daily Sun in a telephone interview on Tuesday, said the Airport Hotel failed to pay March salary to its workers, in addition to directing them to go on forced three months leave without pay.
“In the same vein, Sheraton Hotel in Lagos and Abuja have indicated that it would not pay the April salary to the workers.
“This action is not acceptable to the union, it is against collective bargaining agreement which the managements of these hotels are signatory to,” he said.
Besides, the labour leader said the hotels up till the time of the lockdown by the Federal Government were fully booked and making good business and wondered why they have to owe workers now.
“It is odious and shows how insensitive the employers are on to the workers. There’s a condition of service which says that the employers cannot send workers to go home without paying them. What do they want them to live on. Do they have any other means of livelihood?,” he queried.
Iyeh said though the union cannot move around to take physical action against the hotels, he explained that the managements are being engaged as the union have rejected the proposal.
He said the parent body, the Trade Union Congress (TUC) has equally rejected the proposal by Airport Hotel and Sheraton and described the action as inhumane and unacceptable considering the current situation in the country.
The HAPSSA President maintained that it was a ploy to undermine the interest of the workers who have been the major contributors to the success of the organisations over the years.
He said, “Workers are the backbone of any organisation, they supposed to be the most valuable of the organization and not expected to be treated with levity. I don’t know what these organisations want their workers to eat while the lock down lasts. As such we have mandated the hotels to pay our members, failure which may receive a damn consequences.