MTN call centre picketed in Nigeria

The Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) sealed MTN’s call centre in Jos due to alleged short-changing of staff.

The team, led by NLC Chairman of the Plateau chapter Jibrin Bancir, cited the “undue exploitation and short-changing of staff” as the reason for picketing in front of the premises.

Bancir said Communication Network Support Services Limited (CNSSL), the company managing MTN’s call centres, refused to meet an earlier agreement to review working conditions.

“MTN has standards. You cannot be paying somebody doing their job for the same company, N120 000 in Kaduna, Kano and Lagos and only to pay N37 000 to their counterparts in Jos. When I got in touch with the Human Resources Manager of MTN, he said that it was the business of CNSSL to manage the centre.

“That was after fruitless efforts to make CNSSL to review the workers’ service conditions. Eventually, we gave the company a 14-day ultimatum, which expired Tuesday. Now, we are left with no option, but to seal up the centre,” he said.

He also said the centre would remain sealed until the company reviewed the working conditions of employees in the Jos office.

Head of Human Resources at CNSSL Adekoya Adeyemi, refused to comment saying “it is not time for interviews”.

Segun Adekoye