Globacom fires 54 engineers

Firstclass Newsline learnt that Globacom on Fridaysacked 54 of its
power engineers across the country and gave no official reason for the
sacking. Firstclass Newsline. Gathered that the affected workers
received official notification from the company that it no longer
needed their services.
The notice of disengagement, it was gathered, also instructed them to
submit their staff identification cards and customised Subscriber
Identification Module cards with immediate effect.
The sack read in parts, "This serves to inform you that your services
are no longer required by Globacom Limited."
"Consequently, you are advised to report to the Human Resources
Manager, Globacom Manpower Services Limited, the outsourcing company,
with immediate effect."
It also read, "You are also expected to hand over all company property
(including SIM card, company ID, etc) issued to you during the course
of your services with us.
"We wish you all the best in your future endeavours."
One of the affected engineers described the sacking as a "huge shock."
He said, "I can't believe it is real… being told my services are no
longer required without explicit reason. I am still in shock.
"For someone like me who has been working at Globacom for seven years
and had been managing about 150 power stations for more than two years
now, to be sacked in this manner is unacceptable."
He dismissed speculations that the sacking might be connected to
professional misconduct, especially related to theft of equipment or
over-costing of generator maintenance or fuelling fee.
"Using myself as an example, I have been in charge of over 150 sites,
operating them without official vehicle or basic transport allowances
and yet there has been no case of stealing or anything else under my
area of operations," he said.
He described the ordeal of him and his colleagues as "part of the
oppressive and exploitative system in Globacom," saying, "They just
decided to drop us to cover up their mess."
He said, "Globacom has gained notoriety in the industry over cases of
poor remuneration, slaving working conditions and arbitrary rewards
and punishment systems or procedures.
"Globacom is a place where the bosses are involved in all kinds of
deals to make money and sacrifice the junior staffs to cover up their
tracks," disclosed another staff who pleaded not to be named for fear
of being sacked."
He added that following the sudden purge of power engineers, those
spared in the affected department had begun running double shifts to
cover up for the loss of work force.
"As a result of this sack, most of us remaining now work day and night
to cover up and it has really made things very difficult," he said.
When approached, employees in the Public Relations Department of the
telecommunications firm declined reacting to the development.