*Specified objectives of the Nigerian Communications Commission鈥檚 recent Quality of Service Regulations 2024 for telecoms companies may be defeated as industry workers, under the aegis of the Private Telecommunications and Communications Senior Staff Association of Nigeria begin an indefinite nationwide strike Monday, September 9, 2024, over sack of employees and poor working conditions, among several others

Gbenga Kayode | 绿帽献妻

The Nigerian Communications Commission鈥檚 (NCC) recently released strict Quality of Service (QoS) Regulations 2024 issued to the telecommunications companies (Telcos) operating in the country may be observed in the breach, as the industry workers under the auspices of the Private Telecommunications and Communications Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PTECSSAN) begin an indefinite national strike Monday, September 9, 2024, over sack of their colleagues, and poor working conditions, among others.

The mission of PTECSSAN is to organise, build capacity, and lead workers in private telecommunications and communications sector of the country鈥檚 economy.

It is regarded as a vibrant and rock steady Trade Union with the primary mandate to protect the rights of workers in private telecoms and communications space.

绿帽献妻 gathered that telecoms consumers, again, have expressed concerns over their diminishing Quality of Experience (QoE), noting the workers鈥� fresh industrial action may aggravate the reported portal congestion cum poor connectivity being experienced in Telcos鈥� offices and centres nationwide.

Besides the any disruptions in telecoms service in the ecosystem could thwart Telcos鈥� meeting the stipulated September 15 deadline to complete the integration process of their subscribers鈥� National Identification Numbers (NIN) and Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) Cards in the West African country.

Some of the affected telecoms industry employees going on strike include field maintenance engineers, transmission engineers, customer service engineers, fibre engineers, and other critical staff.

NCC鈥檚 outlined parameters in new QoS Regulations 2024

It should be noted that the Nigerian Communications Commission鈥檚 Quality of Service regulations for telecoms companies was designed for immediate implementation.

The NCC new QoS Regulations 2024 sets specific parameters for the different network segments of the Telcos covering 2G, 3G, and 4G networks in Nigeria.

The QoS Regulations focus on stipulated parameters, including Drop Call Rates, Call Setup Success Rate, and Traffic Congestion, among others.

The telecoms sector regulatory Commission also stated that failure to meet such specified parameters would attract a N5 million fine, as well as N500,000 daily penalty for each infraction in the ecosystem.

As regards the fundamental objective of the new Quality of Service Regulations, the regulator aims to achieve a 50 percent QoS target by the end of 2024, besides other ambitious goals, including boosting Broadband deployment and penetration to 70 percent by 2025.

Earlier, Dr. 鈥橞osun Tijani, Honourable Minister for Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, had disclosed the Ministry鈥檚 50 percent telecoms service target, which may have informed the NCC鈥檚 move to rally the MNOs to comply with this directive towards improving consumers’ Quality of Experience.

PTECSSAN鈥檚 pending issues, demands from 39 telecoms servicing firms

According to PTECSSAN members, has pending issues with about 39 telecoms servicing companies include the sack of three of its members by certain Specific Tools & Technology Limited.

Abdullahi Okonu, General Secretary of PTECSSAN, noted the 39 companies provide critical support services to the telecommunications operators, and the Association had earlier given a seven-day strike notice to the affected companies to address its demands or risk indefinite strike.

It is also recalled that the Association, April this year, had decided to suspend its scheduled strike after successful negotiations with the subcontractors involved in the dispute, according to Okonu in a statement.

Initially slated to begin April 4, 2024, the indefinite strike was announced due to unresolved issues with subcontractors affiliated with Huawei Technologies Nigeria Limited.

These concerned subcontractors at the time included Reime Group, Allstream Energy Solutions Limited, Uppercrest Limited, Tyllium Nigeria Limited and Specific Tools and Techniques Limited.

PTECSSAN, among other demands, had called for immediate recognition of the fundamental right of the employees to freely associate with the Association, immediate recognition of the Association as negotiating body for the employees on workers鈥� welfare and immediate remittance of membership dues into the Association鈥檚 bank account as earlier provided.

Other demands of the Association include immediate recognition of the years of service of the affected workers, commencement of appropriate pensions deduction and remittance of same, as required by the Pension Act, approval of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) that covers the employees, their spouses and four of their dependents, and immediate enrolment of Union members in the Group Life Insurance as stipulated in the Pension Reform Act 2004, Section 9(3).

Aside from the above, the Association is demanding immediate implementation of leave and leave allowance in accordance with the international best practices, negotiation on review of salaries of the workers to meet the economic realities in Nigeria, and immediate provision Operational Vehicles or in the alternative immediate negotiation on review of the Self Drive/Self Rental.

Other demands are immediate stoppage of 鈥�24-hour job鈥� and introduction of work hours in accordance with international best practices, stoppage of work overload (combining passive tasks to theirs) on the workers, and adherence to occupational health and safety for the workers.

Okonu further stated that the strike has become necessary in view of the companies鈥� alleged anti-labour practices including the refusal of the employers to recognise and respect the workers鈥� constitutional rights to freely associate with the union.

He alleged also that three members of the union were unjustly sacked. He said: 鈥淲e shall not be suspending the planned indefinite strike action until our demands, which are as follows, are met:

鈥淚mmediate reinstatement of the three unjustly sacked workers: Sotola Sunday Kolawole, Ulu Ikechukwu Christopher and Alex Franklin C.鈥�

鈥淚mmediate recognition of the fundamental right of the employees to freely associate with the union.鈥�

Association open to dialogue with employers, telecoms regulators: Okonu, General Secretary

Okonu, General Secretary of PTECSSAN, while announcing the commencement of strike effective Monday, reportedly stated: 鈥淲e have made every effort to engage with employers, but our legitimate demands have been disregarded.

鈥淭his strike is a last resort to protect our members鈥� rights and well-being. We urge the public to understand our position and support our struggle for fair treatment.鈥�

Yet, while pleading with Nigerian telecoms consumers to bear with the workers throughout the strike period, 鈥渁ssures that it will engage with employers and the government to resolve the issues, but the strike will continue until their demands are met.鈥�

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