The President of the Nigeria Labour
Congress, Mr. Ayuba Wabba, has said the congress is determined to
preserve the unity of the labour movement in the country.
Wabba said this in a statement while
reacting to the formation of a new labour union in the country, known as
the United Labour Congress, by some top labour leaders in Lagos on
Saturday.
Those behind the formation of the new
union unanimously elected the General Secretary of the National Union of
Electricity Employees, Mr. Joe Ajaero, and the President of Nigeria
Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers, Achese Igwe, as President
and Deputy President respectively.
Listed among the breakaway affiliates of
the NLC and the Trade Union Congress are NUPENG, NUEE, Nigeria Union of
Mine Workers, National Union of Banks, Insurance and Financial
Employees, Nigeria Union of Rail Workers, National Union of Lottery
Agents and Employees, Association of Nigeria Aviation, Professionals,
National Association of Aircraft Pilots and Engineers and others.
He attributed the formation of the new
labour union to the desperation of the affected leaders to occupy
certain positions at all costs.
“But it is most unfortunate when people
try to occupy positions at all costs. You are also aware that at a time,
they declared themselves president and deputy president, especially Joe
Ajaero and Achese Igwe,” the NLC president added.
Wabba said the congress had made serious
efforts to reconcile aggrieved labour leaders after the crisis caused
by the outcome of the 2015 Delegates Congress of the NLC.
He stated that some past labour leaders,
led by the pioneer President of the Congress, Alhaji Hassan Sunmonu,
also intervened in the crisis.
Wabba noted that Ajaero and Igwe had
earlier declared themselves President and Deputy President of the NLC
after the disputed NLC election last year, which he insisted was
adjudged to be free and fair by various groups.
He said, “Let me assure you that we will
do everything to preserve the unity of the labour movement not only
with them but also with our colleagues at the Trade Union Congress.”
Wabba argued that there was a process
for the registration of labour union which had not been followed by
those involved in the formation of the new union.
He said, “The processes of forming a
labour centre entails that even all the components will have to go to
their delegates conference to get their mandate, which we are aware has
not been given by any of them.”
Wabba also restated the position of the
NLC that it could not guarantee industrial peace in the country if the
government failed to constitute the tripartite committee to determine a
new minimum wage in the country before May 1, 2017.
He stressed that the NLC had made a proposal of N56,000 minimum wage to the Federal Government.
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