By Cross Udo, Abuja
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has threatened to boycott today’s (Monday) meeting with the Federal government if the Minister of Labour and Employment, Hon. Simon Lalong is to attend.
Similarly, the Labour movement vowed to go ahead with its protest in Owerri, Imo State capital on Wednesday over an unresolved dispute with the Imo state government on the sack of workers and unpaid salaries.
It alleged that more workers have lost their lives in Imo state due to hunger than those killed by unknown gunmen and insecurity.
Addressing a Press Conference in Abuja yesterday, NLC President, Joe Ajaero said that the organised labour has been invited to the State House, Abuja by the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila to review the report on the implementation of the agreement reached with labour on measures put in place to address the impact of fuel subsidy removal.
He said, “Hopefully, we may meet tomorrow with the federal government to see whether the agreement with organised labour on the fuel subsidy removal palliatives was met or not. If that meeting is to be held, it will.be without the Minister of Labour and Employment because we will not be part of any meeting with the federal government that the Minister of Labour and Employment will attend.
“You will recall that the decision we had on the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) was that all parties including the Police should vacate the premises pending the resolution of the dispute but that did not happen.
“Therefore any meeting we will have with the Federal government, the Minister of Labour and Employment will not be part of it.”
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*Union accuses minister of supporting illegal faction of NURTW
He accused the Minister of going against the agreement on the issue of crisis in the NURTW by taking sides with a faction in the dispute.
NLC had earlier accused Lalong of giving support to the illegal faction of the NURTW and encouraging them to conduct their own Delegates conference, both zonally and nationally in a bid to confer legitimacy to the group.
Based on the allegation, Ajaero said that NLC believed that any meeting with the Minister is a waste of time since he appears not to be in control of issues as far as labour relations are concerned.
*Plans protest in Imo over workers’ sack, unpaid salaries
On the dispute with the Imo state government, Ajaero said that NLC was deeply concerned about the persistent and egregious violations of the rights and privileges of workers in Imo State by the state government.
He threatened that Labour may be forced to make a political statement on the maltreatment of workers if the state government failed to resolve the dispute, adding that it would not hesitate to shut down the state on election day.
“Despite our repeated efforts to engage in constructive dialogue and reach amicable agreements, the Imo State Government has become a habitual and serial breaker of these agreements, continuing to trample on the rights of workers in the state.
“As a result, we are left with no choice but to embark on mass protests and industrial actions beginning on (Wednesday), the 1st day of November 2023 to demonstrate our outrage and stop the continuing violation of the rights and privileges of workers in the state.
NLC President accused the Imo State government of refusing to implement previous agreements reached with the workers in the state.
He said that the state government has repeatedly reneged on agreements, most notably the accord reached on January 9th, 2021, between the government and Organised Labour.
Ajaero listed the infractions to include; outstanding salary arrears, unjust declaration of workers as ghost workers, vandalisation of the NLC State Secretariat, implementation of discriminatory pay, non-compliance with National Minimum Wage: and unsettled gratuity arrears.
He said that some workers have been subjected to a staggering 20 months of unpaid salaries under the unfounded label of ‘ghost workers’.
“Approximately 11,000 hardworking individuals have been unjustly branded as ghost workers, their salaries diverted even while they diligently carried out their duties.
“The wanton destruction of the NLC State Secretariat is a blatant attack on the rights of workers and a violation of the sanctity of their representative body.
“The introduction of discriminatory pay practices and the imposition of apartheid-like policies in determining monthly payments is an affront to fair labor practices.
“The government has failed to address the 8-year backlog of gratuity owed to retirees, showing a grave disregard for the rights of those who have dedicated their careers in service,” he said.
Ajaero further said that the government has persistently shirked its duty to properly implement the N30,000 National Minimum Wage, a critical safeguard for the economic well-being of workers.
*Court stops NLC’s protest in Imo
Meanwhile, the National Industrial Court in Owerri, Imo State has issued an extended interim injunction restraining the NLC and TUC from embarking on any kind of strike in the state.
The Organised Labour was further ordered not to embark on ‘Occupy Imo as planned, until the next adjourned date.
The court warned against the disobedience of its order, saying that it would attract consequences.
President Judge, Justice N.C Ogbuanya gave the order after hearing the submissions of the Attorney General of Imo State, Mr C.O Akaolisa, who prayed the court to grant an extended interim order against the defendants given their fresh threat to embark on strike through occupy Imo.
The defendants are the NLC and the Secretary-General, Emmanuel Ugboaja, and the TUC and its Secretary-General, Nuhu Toro.
In the suit No NICN/ OW/41/2023, in which the Attorney General of Imo State and the Imo State Government are claimants/applicants, they prayed that since there is a subsisting order restraining the defendants from going on strike, the order should be extended.
Their argument was hinged on an affidavit by which the first defendant (NLC) by a letter dated 16th October 2023 is currently mobilising its members from the South-East and South-South for a strike to occupy Imo from November 1.
After hearing from both counsels in the suit, the court granted the order of extended interim injunction restraining the defendants from embarking on any strike in whatever guise.
