CAC staff shut down business activities over salary arrears

Business activities were on Tuesday paralysed at the
headquarters of the Corporate Affairs Commission following an
industrial action embarked upon by members of staff of the
agency.

The industrial action led to the closure of the CAC premises in
Abuja, thus preventing members of staff as well as the general
public from conducting any form of business transaction.
The workers were protesting the non-payment of allowances as well
as poor welfare condition.

Our correspondent, who visited the CAC headquarters, saw the
workers displaying posters with various inscriptions at the
gate.

The workers, under the auspices of the Amalgamated Union of
Public Corporations, Civil Service, Technical and Recreational
Services Employees, accused the management of not taking the issue
of their welfare seriously.

One of the protesting workers, who spoke on condition of
anonymity, said the strike action was called following failed
negotiations between the union and the management.

He claimed that the CAC management had refused to honour the
agreement to bridge the salary gap between the executive and
non-executive members of staff despite an agreement between it and
the leadership of the AUPCTRE.

He said the strike would continue until the management met the
demands of the workers.

Reacting to the protest, the Deputy Director, Public Affairs,
CAC, Mr. Godfrey Ike, told our correspondent in a telephone
interview that the management had signed a Memorandum of
Understanding with the workers to address the grey areas.

He said, “There is an MoU, which has been signed by all the
parties involved and we are at the point of implementation, and
that is where the problem is, because we don’t have a board at the
moment and we sought approval from the ministry (of Industry, Trade
and Investment).

“So, that is where we are at the moment and we are going to get
that approval any moment from now, because it’s before the minister
and it’s being looked at. Any moment from now, we are going to get
that approval and that will solve the whole matter.”

Business activities were on Tuesday paralysed at the
headquarters of the Corporate Affairs Commission following an
industrial action embarked upon by members of staff of the
agency.

The industrial action led to the closure of the CAC premises in
Abuja, thus preventing members of staff as well as the general
public from conducting any form of business transaction.
The workers were protesting the non-payment of allowances as well
as poor welfare condition.

Our correspondent, who visited the CAC headquarters, saw the
workers displaying posters with various inscriptions at the
gate.

The workers, under the auspices of the Amalgamated Union of
Public Corporations, Civil Service, Technical and Recreational
Services Employees, accused the management of not taking the issue
of their welfare seriously.

One of the protesting workers, who spoke on condition of
anonymity, said the strike action was called following failed
negotiations between the union and the management.

He claimed that the CAC management had refused to honour the
agreement to bridge the salary gap between the executive and
non-executive members of staff despite an agreement between it and
the leadership of the AUPCTRE.

He said the strike would continue until the management met the
demands of the workers.

Reacting to the protest, the Deputy Director, Public Affairs,
CAC, Mr. Godfrey Ike, told our correspondent in a telephone
interview that the management had signed a Memorandum of
Understanding with the workers to address the grey areas.

He said, “There is an MoU, which has been signed by all the
parties involved and we are at the point of implementation, and
that is where the problem is, because we don’t have a board at the
moment and we sought approval from the ministry (of Industry, Trade
and Investment).

“So, that is where we are at the moment and we are going to get
that approval any moment from now, because it’s before the minister
and it’s being looked at. Any moment from now, we are going to get
that approval and that will solve the whole matter.”