Organised labour unions in Nigeria’s hospitality sector have commended the management of the Transcorp Hilton in Abuja for its commitment to workers’ welfare.
The unions, under the Hotel and Personal Services Senior Staff (HAPSSSA) and National Union of Hotel and Personal Services Workers (NUHPSW), praised the hotel for prioritizing the interests of its workers.
In a statement, the unions said, “We are pleased to see that the management of the Transcorp Hilton in Abuja has demonstrated a commitment to the welfare of its workers. They have shown that it is possible to run a successful hotel while also treating workers with respect and fairness.”
However, the unions also threatened to picket hotels found to be undermining the interests of workers, including Sheraton, Accor, and Protea.
The president of HAPSSSA, Iyeh Adegbe, said the unions had resolved not to stay quiet and had approached the Ministry of Labor for intervention. He complained that big hotels engaged in unfair labor practices even after the economy recovered from the COVID-19 era.
“During the COVID-19 pandemic, many hotels in Nigeria sacked the majority of their permanent staff and then engaged in massive casualization, outsourcing, and contract forms of employment,” Adegbe said.
“They also made it difficult for workers to organize and unionize, and those who did face stagnation and the threat of termination.”
The unions called on all employers in the hotel industry to change their practices or face resistance from the unions and other affiliated sectors. They also called on the government to intervene to protect workers’ rights.
“We call on the Federal Government of Nigeria to take action to ensure that workers in the hotel industry are treated fairly and with respect,” the unions said. “Workers deserve to be able to earn a decent living and to have a say in their own welfare.”
