Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC) Plc has announced salary increases for all staff following an agreement with two recognised labour unions, effective December 1.

This is contained in a statement issued by the management of the electricity distribution firm on Sunday in Benin.

The agreement was reached at a meeting between the company’s management, the National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE) and the Senior Staff Association of Electricity and Allied Companies (SSAEAC) on November 6.

The meeting was led by BEDC’s acting managing director and chief executive officer, Jonathan Lawani.

SSAEAC was represented by its deputy general secretary, Innocent Lord-Douglas, while NUEE was represented by Mbang Ntukubes.

Mr Lawani, in the statement, said the successful conclusion of negotiations, which began in March, demonstrated management’s commitment to staff welfare and improved organisational performance.

“The successful conclusion of this joint negotiation and review process reflects our shared commitment to staff welfare and the overall performance of BEDC,” he said.

He, however, described the recent industrial action by workers as avoidable, saying it resulted in revenue losses, reputational damage and hardship for electricity consumers.

Mr Lawani expressed regret that the industrial action occurred before the agreed date for concluding negotiations, as reaffirmed at the October 7 meeting.

He also explained that BEDC’s approved operational expenditure framework had remained fundamentally unchanged since 2013, despite rising costs and prevailing economic realities.

According to him, access to the company’s full approved operational expenditure allocation depended on meeting prescribed collection performance thresholds, while shortfalls resulted in reduced allocations.

The management said the explanation underscored the company’s financial constraints and the need to balance employees’ welfare with business sustainability.

BEDC commended the leadership of NUEE and SSAEAC for their cooperation and constructive engagement in reaching an amicable resolution.

The company reaffirmed its commitment to transparency, mutual respect and industrial harmony, describing employee welfare as central to its transformation agenda.

It said the agreement represented a step towards strengthening trust, collaboration and shared responsibility between management and organised labour.

 (NAN)