ABBEY TROTSKY VS SUMAL FOOD LIMITED: Drop trumped-up charges, recall sacked workers and end slave conditions in Sumal
An appeal for local and international solidarity actions and financial support
By Rufus Olusesan, National Chair, CDWR
Following the intervention of the Campaign for Democratic and Workers’ Rights (CDWR) – a campaign platform of the Democratic Socialist Movement (DSM) – in the strike action of casual workers of Sumal Foods Limited Ibadan over pays and poor working conditions on the 2nd of October, 2018, Comrade Abiodun Bamigboye (Abbey Trotsky) is currently facing four different cases in courts. Abbey Trotsky is the Oyo State Coordinator of the CDWR but also doubles as the acting National Chairperson of the Socialist Party of Nigeria (SPN).
The management of Sumal Foods, sadly in connivance of right wing/reactionary leadership of National Union of Food, Beverage and Tobacco Employee (NUFBTE), is using the police to persecute Abbey Trotsky with trumped-up criminal charges at magistrate court. Indeed, before Abbey was arraigned in court he had been arrested and detained many times by the Police and Department of State Service (DSS) – the Secret Police.
In addition to the criminal matter are three civil matters – one at magistrate court and two at the National Industrial Court – instituted by the company and the outsourcing companies that recruit casual, insecure and poorly paid workers for Sumal Food.
All the cases came up at different dates in January 2020. Their next adjourned dates fall between March and April 2020. Specifically the criminal case comes up on March 3, 2020.
The basis for all these numerous cases is to deter members of the CDWR particularly Abbey Trotsky from intervening in the plight of poor casual workers of Sumal Food Limited and also to strike fear into the heart of mass of casual workers in the company especially now that the enactment of a new minimum wage of N30, 000 will mean that workers could begin to demand an increment in their daily pay.
Despite the continued persecution of comrade Abbey Trotsky, members of CDWR have remained undaunted and resilient as they had launched a campaign against casualisation and indecent labour practices not only in SUMAL FOOD LIMITED but also in other workplaces in Ibadan and its environs. Political activities are also organised on regular basis by members of CDWR to support the legal defence being handled by a number of lawyers led by Mr Adeyinka Olumide-Fusika of Citipoint Chambers pro bono. The political activities have greatly helped to deepen and strengthen the campaign against casualization and indecent labour practices such that CDWR is gradually becoming a point of attraction to some layers of workers who are not only dissatisfied with their slavery working condition but also interested in a fight back.
At the moment, over 20 workers that cut across no fewer than four different workplaces have joined CDWR and have been actively involved in the campaign against casualization and activities often organised to support the legal defence against the persecution of comrade Abbey Trotsky. We thank all members and supporters as well as civil society and socialist organisations locally and internationally particularly members of CWI and our lawyers for all their solidarity and support which has helped to sustain the struggle this far. We equally recognise the fact that to sustain and build on this campaign will require more solidarity action and financial support both locally and internationally.
We call for immediate dropping of all trumped-up charges against Abbey Trotsky at magistrate court; withdrawal of all frivolous civil cases in the industrial courts; NUFBTE leadership must defend interest and rights of workers including casuals and end its unholy alliance with the management; reinstatement of all workers sacked because of their involvement in the struggle for better pays and conditions; and Sumal Management must end slave conditions in the company, end casualization and respect law laws and regulations.
It is in the light of this that we call on the leadership of the three labour centres, Nigeria labour Congress (NLC), Trade Union Congress (TUC) and United labour Congress (ULC) at the national and state level, industrial unions, civil society organisations and socialists locally and internationally for more solidarity actions including physical presence at the court, public statements, petitioning and picketing of Nigerian Embassies and High Commissions. These can also include financial support to support the political activities and campaigns to back up the legal action and towards the struggle on the plight of workers in Sumal Foods Ibadan and against casualization, outsourcing and other anti-labour practices.
We request that Protest Messages should be sent to the following persons:
-Federal Ministry of Labour Oyo State Office – 08035676740
-President, Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) – 08036556600
-Commissioner of Police Oyo State – 08038467592
-Speaker Oyo State House of Assembly-07032542579
Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) Zone 11- 08036536581
Copies of all protest letters or messages to be sent to: [email protected] or WhatsApp – 08033914091
Please Donate to CDWR Account:
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1012616511
Zenith Bank