Hotel Unions to Picket Sheraton, Accord, Protea for Anti-labour Practices

•Hail Transcorp for improving workers’ welfare

Ugo Aliogo

The two organised trade unions in the hospitality sector –  the Hotel and Personal Services Senior Staff (HAPSSSA) and the National Union of Hotel and Personal Services Workers (NUHPSW) – yesterday threatened to picket Sheraton, Accord, Protea and others found culpable of undermining the interest of workers in Nigeria. 

This was even as the unions have commended the management of Transcorp for distinguishing itself through fair labour practices.

The president of HAPSSSA, Iyeh William Adegbe, said only the intervention from the federal government could save the affected hotels from the workers’ wrath.

“We have resolved not to keep quiet; we have approached ministry of Labour and the struggle is on,” he said.

Adegbe noted that the big hotels have been practicing lots of anti-labour practices even after the economy had picked up after the COVID-19 pandemic.

The hospitality industry suffered serious setback in their operations occasioned by COVID-19 pandemic between late 2020 to the first quarter of 2022. The HAPSSSA President recalled that the effect was so much on labour as laying off of workers cum downsizing of workforce took the center stage.

He said: “Today, business has resumed in all hotels in Nigeria but to our greatest dismay, most multinational hotel chains in Nigeria have introduced obnoxious practices targeting at weakening the strength of labour in hotel industries.

“After sacking majority of the permanent staff during Covid-19, they are now resorting to massive casualisation, outsourcing and contract form of employment with strong warning and emphasising than none of the employees should have anything to do with the union.”

The labour leader said what that meant was the reintroduction of slave camps in workplaces, adding that, “in this arrangement, workers have no access to any retirement benefits, no voice irrespective of whatever treatment that befalls them in the hands of their employer.”

He further stated that they cannot ask for what was due to them because of fear of being victimised by the employer.

“Several attempts by the labour leaders to discourage them has proved abortive. The Marriott group who are the managers of Sheraton hotels, Accord and Protea groups are the major difficult hotel chain in Nigeria with respect to unhealthy labour practices,” he added.

He noted that the listed hotels have made it so difficult to organise their workers, saying, “even when the workers have indicated interest, they will warn and intimidate them to decline over the night or they face termination of their appointments.”

Adegbe lamented that even the few that had been unionised suffer stagnation, “as no promotion is offered unless they are willing to be converted to contract staff where they will not have a say in their own welfare.”

“We therefore call on all employers in the hotel industry who are involved in the above practices to change or be prepared to face strong resistance from all the affiliates in this sector and other sister affiliates in other sectors in consultation with the two labour centers in Nigeria,” he warned.

He however said, “But in all these, Transcorp Hilton Hotel Abuja has distinguished themselves in fair labour practices. This year the conditions of service of the workers has been negotiated and implemented successfully.

“The local branches of both HAPSSSA and NUHPSW are seen as social partners. Persuasive negotiation is being practiced here and the result is encouraging. Several promotions have been done at all levels, Team Support Staff were elevated and many contract staff were converted to permanent employees.

He hailed the Managing Director and Chief Executive of Transcorp Hotels, Mrs. Dukpe Olusola, for being sensitive to the plight of workers and the General Manager, Mr Bulent Tarlen who he said had also shown great respect to the union and the workers.