Posted by By BASSEY BASSEY, Calabar on
Wriggling out of many frustrating impediments in a work place could sometimes be traumatic, especially when such obstacles are artificial.
Wriggling out of many frustrating impediments in a work place could sometimes be traumatic, especially when such obstacles are artificial.
This is the kind of experience confronting the over 2,000 workers of Julius Berger - the main contractor building N27 billion TINAPA - Premier Business Resort in Calabar.
For the second time in five weeks, the over 2,000 workers have engaged the company in a showdown over its refusal to improve their working conditions.
Billed for commissioning in November 2006, the Africa premier business resort, modelled after the one in Dubai, if actualized would be a model in Africa.
With the incessant stoppage of work by workers due to conflict with Julius Berger, the November 2006 deadline for the commissioning may be unrealizable.
Speaking to Daily Sun at the deserted project site, the few workers left said until their working condition is re-defined, they would not work.
Explaining the grievances of the workers, the leader of the workers committee in TINAPA, Mr. Kingsley Umonta said: 'The real problem has to do with the fears of workers relating to the anticipated redundancy. What we are calling redundancy in the construction industry is a point at the construction site where the services of some workers would no longer be required.
'Usually there are some entitlements that the workers are supposed to get. So, my colleagues are getting worried that they might be abandoned by the company.
'When you have this kind of project with over 2,000 workers, there is bound to be this kind of agitation.
The community liaison officer of Julius Berger, Pastor Samuel Inok, told Daily Sun that the company was aware of the workers' plight. He said that the workers, some of whom would be laid off as each level of construction is completed, are scared that they would first be thrown back into the labour market without any compensation.
'Another thing is the rains. During the raining season, we usually dispense with some workers until after the rains. Now they are getting worried about how to survive until the rains are over, so they can come back.
'The company is doing its best to ensure the workers' welfare is taken into consideration so that this project is completed on schedule".
Inok said has would pay the entire allowance of N2,000 to each of the workers monthly. He confirmed that the least paid workers in the TINAPA complex earns about N15,000 per month.
'There have been series of meetings since the strike started. We have been trying to do deal with the details of the problems no matter how minute. We even want a situation where this problem is solved once and for all", the liaison officer said.