MTN’s Corporate Relations Executive, Mr. Tobechukwu Okigbo, yesterday said the picketing of the organisation by the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) violated International Labour Organisation’s (ILO) rule.
Okigbo in a statement in said that the picketing was characterised by violence.
“The destruction of MTN assets, violence and threats violated an important section of the ILO ethics of which the NLC is a member.
“Founded in 1919, the ILO’s main goal is to bring together governments, employers and workers of its member states to set labour standards, develop policies and devise programmes promoting decent work for all women and men.
“Under the ILO Principles concerning the right to strike, section 8.1 which focuses on picketing clearly states: Taking part in picketing and firmly but peacefully inciting other workers to keep away from their workplace cannot be considered unlawful.
“The case is different, however, when picketing is accompanied by violence or coercion of non-strikers in an attempt to interfere with their freedom to work; such acts constitute criminal offences in many countries.
“The requirement that strike pickets can only be set up near an enterprise does not infringe the principles of freedom of association (ibid. paras. 586 and 587),” he said.
