By Eberechi Obinagwam
The organised labour unions of Hotel and Personal Services Senior Staff Association (HAPSSSA) and the National Union of Hotels and Personal Services Workers (NUHPSW) have given reasons why the three months stay at home without pay notice by Airport Hotel management to its staff won’t work.
The union speaking through the immediate past president of HAPSSA, Ademola Adeyemi, said the workers are not going to abide with the notice because the unions were not carried along in the management’s crucial decision, and the management action was against the law.
The management of Airport Hotel had earlier directed all its staff to proceed on a three-month forced leave without pay in reaction to the downturn of business due to the ravaging COVID-19 pandemic.
But the union reiterated that the present situation was a global issue asking why the management should take such an action.
“This is a global issue, why should the Airport Hotel take such an action. We have other hotels all over the country, who are still keeping their workers,” he said.
In a letter dated April 21, 2020, and signed by Yemi Madu, HHRA & T – LAHL, titled to “ALL MEMBERS OF STAFF NOTICE TO GO ON THREE MONTHS STAY BACK AT HOME WITHOUT PAY” the management said the decision was due to the Company’s present financial crisis and its future uncertainty in this prevailing covid-19 pandemic.
Madu in her statement said: “This decision was painful and we are sorry it has to come to this but we continue to hope for the best and wish you well.”
However, the Labour leader querried the rationale for the Airport Hotel to keep workers away for three months wondering if they would be the one to determine when the global virus would end.
Adeyemi who lamented how the workers would survive without pay for three months said the management of the hotel was just being insensitive to the workers who have given their all to the success of the organization.
He said, “How do they want the workers to survive for three months when even the March salary has not been paid since all the workers have been forced to go on a compulsory leave.
“Where is decent work here, how do we pay our bills, feed our families and meet with other expenses.”
Also, he insisted that the decision was taken without consultation with all the stakeholders, including the owner of the hotel, Odua group, stating that that was the more reason why the workers would resist it.
