Our LABOUR MARKET WOES

OUR LABOUR MARKET WOES MD CONSOL LTD ABIODUN ADEOYE DURING HIS ADDRESS TO THE TRAINEES. We are now familiar to the term ‘Nigerian youth are lazy’. Some of these so called ‘lazy youth’ who are multi-talented, hardworking and skilled entrepreneurs from all walks of life, still hustling and struggling to make something out of their lives, sought the prospect of securing a job that would improve their respective situations and found their way to Consol Limited located at Oshodi in Lagos for a customer care training on an Airtel Nigeria project. Their hopes of securing a paid employment is now facing stormy weather for unfair and unjust reasons. Our story goes thus; During the interview and the first five day training( which was free, we weren’t paid for this), the HR informed us that the salary would be 40k with 3k for HMO and tax, a take home pay of 37k and the work shift structure. For the Airtel project the training fee is N1,000 per day and we are expected to spend 25-30 days, of which it actually ran into 30 days i.e. N30,000 training fee and that we would be paid upon completion of the training. Those who fail the training would be paid half and those who pass will receive full payment. For the Consol-Airtel project, there were two batches: stream A and B, stream A started a week before stream B. At a time during the training, the trainees were given a provisional offer letter to sign for the position of a CSR (Customer Service Representative) in the contact center department at Consol Limited. This offer is contigent upon successful completion of the training and certification, background checks and verification of education. Towards the end of the training, the Consol management through the HR informed us about a policy we found ridiculous. We were told that we would have to purchase the ‘headset’ we need to do the job. Now because of this policy, stream B was not allowed to even start the OJT (On the Job Training) because they needed us to agree to buy the headsets which will be deducted from the training fee. Initially set at a 15% discount amounting to N22,950 at a one- off payment to be removed from the training fee, later reduced to N10,800 for first installment and reduced again to N7,500 to be paid at three installments. Why should a company ask a trainee to pay for the tools needed to do the work. If they hired a driver, would he be asked to buy the car. The MD said that the policy would not be reversed and it was a take it or leave it order. We refused seeing that it was wrong and their tactics were tricky and it was a breach of the initial agreement. Now they say we would be paid when we go live. This bottleneck thrown at us was quite unexpected and it does not speak well of a company that claims to be a leading provider of customer service when they can’t even treat their internal customers with respect and care, they lack empathy. They can’t even practice what they preach. Some of the trainees had to borrow money to complete the training and as it stands now since we have stood our ground on not paying for the headset, we were told that we weren’t going to be paid a dime. From January till this very moment, it was all for nothing. The MD in all his glory, referred to us as a ‘bunch of disgruntled people, saying if you want to leave, leave, there are 200 people out there seeking employment. People complain about the country, but forget that change must first begin with you. Become the change you seek @Consolltd