LaCasera calls protesting workers "criminals, hoodlums" fires them, packs out of Nigeria
LaCasera, on Monday, sacked at least 700 of its Nigerian workers after they demanded for their right to form a lawful union.
The man who probably signed their sack letters, LaCasera’s human resources manager, one Otemewo; reportedly said he was not aware of the situation.
The workers said they had been denied their right to form a lawful union for about 12 years now.
The agitation began three years after LaCasera, owned by an Indian, opened shop in Nigeria in the year 2000.
A LaCasera employee who led agitations for, and was about to be made chairman of the union was sacked recently. The action prompted a peaceful workers protest last Friday.
The protest was backed by the National Union of Food, Beverages and Tobacco Employees (NUFBTE), a unit of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC).
LaCasera had been barring its employees from joining NUFBTE, a move which would have afforded the workers opportunities to demand for better wages and working conditions.
The NLC unit invaded the premises of LaCasera last Friday to demand the reinstatement of the sacked worker and the formation of a union, an action the company frowned at.
LaCasera released a statement on Monday calling the NLC protesters hoodlums who conspired with collaborators to carry out an illegal break-in into a business environment.
LaCasera locked its workers out on Monday, and pasted the statement on its gate.
“As a result of the unwarranted, illegal break-in and invasion of our business premises on Friday 11th September 2015, we currently cannot guarantee the wellbeing of our esteemed employees, from these hired hoodlums and their collaborators,” LaCasera said.
“This criminal and malicious action resulted in physical attack on innocent law abiding workers, as well as damage to our business in general.
“As a result of the unprovoked act of vandalism, we are unable to continue operations under these circumstances.
“Unfortunately, we regret to inform all our staff of their immediate disengagement.”
Lagos NLC chairman, Idowu Adelakun, said he is shocked a foreign firm would call law-abiding, peacefully-protesting Nigerian citizens “hoodlums” in their own country.
Workers said they shared the same sentiment.
One of them told local media it was obvious LaCasera took the decision to intimidate its employees.
“We have been clamouring for a union which the company have been restricting,” he said.
“There were rumours the company was trying to retrench workers unlawfully, so the new members protested peacefully to register the displeasure of workers over the unjust treatment of the workers and it was a peaceful protest and no violence was recorded. This took place on Friday last week.”
“But on getting to work this morning we found out that the company had been sealed and a letter pasted on the gate stating that the entire staff have been disengaged.
“This action is meant to intimidate the workers and we are here to reject this because we are paid peanuts which isn’t enough to sustain their living.
“We work 7am to 7am, Monday through Friday and overtime on Saturday and we have always obeyed the company.
“But the unjust treatment of the workers by LaCasera is what we ask government to come to our aid and look into,” he said.
