IBEDC Workers Begin Indefinite Strike in Ogun

In Ogun State, workers from the Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC) have locked down their office, launching an indefinite strike over issues related to minimum wage and employee welfare. The strike was sparked by the company’s failure to implement the new minimum wage, non-payment of pension and cooperative deductions, and the dismissal of 17 employees, among other grievances.

In Abeokuta, workers were observed gathering outside the office, blocking entry. Customers arriving for transactions were turned away as the strike continued.

Abiodun Shobayo, the Vice President of the National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE) for the Lagos/Ogun Zone, explained the necessity of the strike, highlighting the management’s reluctance to address these long-standing issues.

“We are here to declare ‘Enough is Enough’; we cannot allow the IBEDC management to continue disregarding our demands,” Shobayo stated. He pointed out that billions in pension and cooperative funds have not been remitted, essentially using workers’ contributions to fund company operations like fault repairs and bill distribution.

He further criticized the management’s refusal to negotiate over the new minimum wage, citing financial constraints as their excuse. “The management is not ready to implement the new minimum wage. They are not ready for negotiation, complaining that there is no fund. They have also started sacking workers indiscriminately without recourse to the conditions of service.” There have been indiscriminate layoffs without adhering to service conditions, affecting 17 workers so far.

Shobayo also expressed concerns about the potential for mass layoffs similar to those at the Kaduna Electricity Distribution Company, where 900 employees were recently terminated. He noted that 70% of IBEDC’s workforce consists of casual laborers, a situation the union deems unacceptable.

The strike will continue, “the strike is indefinite until the management is ready to see reason with us. The strike action cuts across where we have IBEDC franchises and these are the six states in the South-West, along with Kwara and Kogi” until their demands are met. These include the immediate repayment of all owed funds, reinstatement of the dismissed workers, and serious negotiations to resolve the ongoing disputes.

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