SENIOR FOOD, BEVERAGE WORKERS EMBARK ON STRIKE OVER REMUNERATION

LAGOS, Nigeria – Senior Staff and Managers in the food and beverage industry under the auspices of Food and Beverage, Tobacco, Senior Staff Association, FOBTOB have called on members to embark on nationwide strike with effect from today, Monday, December 11, 2017.

The union made the revelation in a statement signed by Comrades Quadri Olaleye and Iji Solomon,National President and General Secretary, respectively.

The union said it embarked on the strike as a result of failure by the union to reach agreement with Association of Food, Beverage and Tobacco Employers (AFBTE) on Friday.

FOBTOB members work in Flour Mills of Nigeria, Guinness Nigeria Plc, A & P Pladis Foods, FrieslandCampina WAMCO, Ajinomoto, Deli Foods, Dangote Industries, Nestle, Cadbury Nigeria, Dufil Prima Indomie, etc .

They are demanding 20 percent review in salaries as against 14 percent offered by AFBTE. They argued that they were neglected when others were promoted with upward salary review for several years.

“To this effect we are calling all our members nationwide to embark on a National Strike Action to compel the AFBTE to reach an equally acceptable agreement from today, 11th December, 2017 as from 12am prompt”, the workers said.

The union said it is embarking on the strike sequel to the association’s public protest of 7th December, 2017, where members expressed displeasure about AFBTE’s impunitive refusal to review already expired biannual collective agreement of salaries and fringe benefits.

“A meeting was held on Friday 8th December, 2017 with the Association of Food, Beverage and Tobacco Employers (AFBTE) in an effort to reconcile our interests after several disagreements. Discussions broke down once again as the AFBTE maintained the position that it is satisfied with the current status-quo and would be willing to continue discussion early in 2018, except FOBTOB will accept its offer of 14% as opposed to our 20% demand which according to our industry records is the lowest rate in the past 17 years.

“With the majority of our employers being multinationals such as Flour Mills of Nigeria, Guinness Nigeria Plc, A & P Pladis Foods, FrieslandCampina WAMCO, Ajinomoto, Deli Foods, Dangote Industries, Nestle, Cadbury Nigeria, Dufil Prima Indomie, etc ; it is unacceptable to us that they continue to discriminate against our members in the payment of salaries and fringe benefits after having met their targets and remained profitable. It is on record that throughout our industry, all other cadres have in the past months enjoyed a review in their salaries and fringe benefits while the Senior Staffs and Managers have been tactically abandoned.

“To this effect we are calling all our members nationwide to embark on a National Strike Action to compel the AFBTE to reach an equally acceptable agreement from today, 11th December, 2017 as from 12am prompt”, FOBTOB said.