La Casera Shuts Down Operation, Sacks All 700 Staff

Scores of angry workers of La Casera Company Plc staged a protest, on Monday, in Lagos after about 700 workers received their sack letters, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reported.

The workers said they are protesting because the company’s management responded to their efforts at unionism by firing all of them.

The company, however, described the protest as an invasion of its premises by ‘hoodlums.’

NAN reported that the crisis began after the workers arrived at the company premises in Amuwo Odofin Industrial Estate, Mile 2, Lagos, and found the gate locked against them and a notice of disengagement pasted at the entrance.

The notice, dated September 14 and addressed to all members of staff, stated that

 “as a result of the unwarranted breaking-in and invasion of our business premises on September 11, we cannot guarantee the well-being of our employees from hired hoodlums and their collaborators.
“As a result of this unprovoked act of vandalism, we are unable to continue operations under this circumstance. Unfortunately, we regret to inform all our staff of their immediate disengagement.”

The workers, under the aegis of the National Union of Food, Beverage and Tobacco Employees (NUFBTE), condemned the act, noting that some of them had worked for between five and 15 years.

Mr Mike Olarenwaju, Head of Education Department in NUFBTE, who spoke for the workers, said that for 12 years, the company denied workers the right to be unionised.