Workers shut down Costain Plc over non-payment of salaries, pension

By BIMBOLA OYESOLA
Workers of construction giant in Nigeria, Costain West Africa Plc, yesterday shut down its operation across the country over non payment of four months salaries and non-remittance of deducted pension funds.
The workers under the aegis of National Union of Construction Civil Engineers Furniture and Woodworkers (NUCEFWW) and Construction Civil Engineers Senior Staff Association (CCESSA) alleged that since the present management took over the company four years ago, assets belonging to the company have been converted to personal usages.
The Chairman of the branch, who is a Senior Management Staff in the company, Comrade Adeokhor John, lamented that the situation got worsened at the beginning of 2013 when salaries were delayed for three months.
“Workers just received May salary in August and that was the last we received”, he said.
He stated further, “also surprising is the recently discovered and confirmed status of our pension contribution which was found to be un remitted to staff accounts for the past three and a half years,”.
The Chairman of junior workers, Joseph Chika Okocha, also explained that the management had refused to hold meeting with workers on the reason why the four month salaries had not been paid.
“The management used Costain money to float another oil and gas company called Shoreline Limited. They withdrew our pension payment and refused to pay our severence allowances”, he added.
Over 1200 workers participated in the rally which commenced as early as 8a.m throughout the company’s offices in Nigeria.