Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC and the Trade Union Congress,TUC have denounced the Seven days final strike notice issued by the United Labour Congress of Nigeria. NLC and TUC also urged Nigerian workers to discountenance what they called ” threats of this illegal association.”
A joint statement NLC President, Ayuba Wabba and TUC President Bobboi Bala Kaigama said “Our initial reaction was to ignore the purported ultimatum issued via a press statement on 11th September, 2017, as a mere attention seeking gimmick. However, since the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment has entered into correspondence with these individuals, and they have in turn resorted to an exercise intent on blackmail with the ultimate goal of using this weapon to obtain registration, we feel constrained to making the following comments on the unfolding situation.
They said “Despite listing twelve (12) demands in their 11th September press statement, we have no doubt that those behind the ultimatum were only hoping to blackmail the Federal Government and the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment to register their association as a central labour organisation, as they stated in their demand numbers 9-12.
“We have no doubt the officials of the Federal Ministry of Labour would deal with the situation as the laws of the country governing labour relations are very clear on the procedure guiding registrations of Trade Unions and trade union centres.
“Against the background of persistent mischief and dragging the names of our two centres to the mud by the promoters of the United Labour Congress, it has become pertinent to once again recall the events leading to their current desperation.
“Since their failure in the March 2015, 10thdelegates conference of the NLC, these individuals have tried to use every tactic to destabilise the industrial relations scene in the country. First they tried to factionalise the NLC, and for almost two years were parading themselves as factional leaders of the NLC. When they realised that they were largely ignored by Nigerian workers and the Nigerian people, at the beginning of this year, they dusted up the name of one of the four trade union centres that in December 1975 voluntarily merged to form the NLC, and now purports to have become a new Labour Centre in the country, called the United Labour Congress.
Wabba and Kaigama said further that “Unfortunately for our erstwhile colleagues, they just collected forms for the registration of dozens of “shell trade unions or trade unions without membership”, and rather than wait to get registration, they just proclaimed their existence, perhaps because they know very well that by the extant laws-the Trade Union Act, and the Trade Union Amendment Act, there was no way they could get recognition and registration for the dozen or so “Shell Unions”.
“These mushroom Unions were carried out of existing industrial unions. However, the Trade Unions Act CAP T14, LFN, 2004, Section 3 (2) provided that: “But no trade union shall be registered to represent workers or employers in a place, where there already exists a trade union”.
“These fake Unions had not being registered, and would not be registered since all the areas have effective Union coverage presently that are affiliates of the NLC and TUC.
“We had pointed out in our January 18th, 2017 letter to the Honourable Minister of the dangers posed by the activities of these erstwhile colleagues of ours, who rather than accept the decision of Nigerian workers to reject their leadership, are bent on creating anarchy in the industrial relations system in the country, by trying to register these mushroom and member-less Unions.
NLC and TUC added that “In the same letter, we had drawn attention to the fact that under the 2005 amendment to the section 34 of the Principal Act, it was clearly stated that a (new) federation of trade union(s) may be registered if (a) I (b): “it is made up of 12 or more trade unions, none of which shall have been a member of another registered federation of trade unions”.
“The main promoters of the so-called new federation are individuals from NUEE and NUPENG both are affiliates of the NLC. By the extant law as passed just some years ago, they cannot form another federation.
They added that “the section on Registration of Trade Unions in Part 1, Section 2, is very clear that un-registered trade unions and federation(s) are prohibited from functioning. Under this section, a federation of trade unions shall not come into existence until it is registered.
“Our erstwhile colleagues are therefore trying to take advantage of the unstable security and industrial relation situation in the country to increase the tension and give bad name to trade unionism. Nigerians need to know that they are not a legitimate organisation recognised by the laws of our country. They are largely a collection of individuals who find it difficult to accept the will of Nigerian workers, as very clearly demonstrated during the March 12-13 2015 election that took place at the Eagle Square, Abuja in which they were roundly defeated.
“We wish to state without equivocation that the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment has acted within the confines of the law by not registering ULC and the phantom Unions they put forward. No unregistered organisations or individuals can hold our dear country to ransom.
“We urge the Federal Ministry of Labour and workers to discountenance the threats of this illegal association. The ministry must be steadfast in upholding the laws governing trade union practice in the country.
“Finally, our colleagues are still members of the labour family, in unity lies our strength.We once again extend our hands of comradeship and urge them to return to the fold.”
