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Tag: NLC

  • NLC leadership tours affiliate unions

    NLC leadership tours affiliate unions

    •Leadership crisis rocks NUBIFIE

    The Ayuba Wabba-led Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has embarked on assessment tour of affiliate unions.

    Wabba said the  visit would boost the affiliates’confidence and assure them that they are not being left alone.

    He said: “Our movement can prosper in unity if we keep the tradition of unity. We are not unmindful of all the challenges that our workers are going through, such issues as unpaid salaries and allowances.”

    He said so far, the NLC leadership has visited the National Union of Hotels Personal Services Workers (NUHPSW), the Agriculture and Allied Employees Union of Nigeria (AAEUN), the National Union of Academic Technologists (NAAT), the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NILGE) and the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW).

    He said the union took the step when crisis was tearing the leadership of the NLC affiliates apart.

    The National Union of Banks, Insurance and Financial Institutions Employees (NUBIFIE) has been engulfed in leadership crisis with two factions emerging. While one is based in Lagos, the other is in Abuja.

    The NUBIFIE crisis might not be unconnected with the difference between the NLC and the United Labour Congress (ULC). While the National leadership operating from Lagos and led by  Comrade Danjuma Musa, was trying to pull out NUBIFIE from the NLC to join the ULC, the Abuja faction, led by Comrade Godling Litkang, said Danjuma, his treasurer and General Secretary have been suspended from the union.

    The crisis has led to the arrest and detention of Comrade Danjuma by the Police for a week in Abuja, but later released through the intervention of Wabba.

  • NLC to workers: prepare to vote out public officers

    NLC to workers: prepare to vote out public officers

    The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has called on workers to obtain their voter card with a view to voting out anti-labour public officers, who contribute to non-payment of salaries across the states.

    Its President, AyubaWabba, who stated this in Abuja, while reacting to the complaints of non-payment of salaries by local government workers through the National Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE)President, Ibrahim Khaleel, urged workers to vote out political office holders who oppose minimum wage.

    His words: “We must prepare to vote out governors or any political officer holder, who is refusing to pay us salary. We must continue to lament. We have the power, so we must use it this time. Workers, pensioners and their households, who are in one way or the other suffering the inhumane treatment of non-payment of workers’ wages, must be voted out of office in the next election.”

    He urged unions and workers to unite for a vibrant struggle against oppressive employers, adding: “Every member of the labour movement, irrespective of the union, must understand that it is only in unity that we can achieve our objective.

    “Therefore, we all must in solidarity play our part in order to achieve success. So, commitment, which,  of course, will bring us to working together, is the key.

    “And every leader, no matter the union or association in the labour movement, must consciously see the welfare of its members as very essential in all we do. It is, therefore, important that anytime we have a need for national action, all affiliates must deem it sacrosanct to mobilise their members for such action.”

    Also, Wabba stressed the importance of local government autonomy, saying: ‘’Local government areas are very important to the social-economic welfare of every citizen in Nigeria, because we all come from one LGA or the other. So, granting autonomy to LGA system in the country will in so many ways make things better for us all. In fact, it will pay the political elite a lot if they strengthen development in LGAs. Both influxes of people from rural areas to the urban cities and other vices that accompany rural-urban migration will drastically reduce’’

    Khaleel, who appreciated the leadership of NLC for initiating the familiarisation visits, urged the  the Congress to strengthen its relationship with affiliates and see all of them as important aspects of NLC’s existence.

    He further stressed that capacity building and inclusiveness are crucial in the effort of the NLC to survive the challenges ahead and succeed as an umbrella body of labour movement, which every other union and association should look up to and run to in times of need.

    While he expressed worries about the persistent trend of non-payment of salaries, especially to local government council workers, he said the N6,000 minimum wage, which the Zamfara State Government has continued to pay its workers was worrisome and shameful.

    He then called on the NLC to specifically intervene in cases involving the NLC Chairperson in Ogun State and the state government, and the seizing of Akwa Ibom State’s NULGE chapter’s check-off dues for five months by the state.

  • Anxiety in Ondo as NLC alleges plan to sack 600 council workers

    Anxiety in Ondo as NLC alleges plan to sack 600 council workers

    There is tension in Ondo State organised labour, following an allegation that about 600 local government workers attached to traditional rulers have been “tactically” sacked.

    It was learnt that the names of the workers had been removed from the government’s pay role.

    The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has vowed to challenge the government’s action.

    Sources said the development came to the open, following the non-payment of May salaries to the palace workers.

    It was learnt that they were being paid from local government areas’ purse.

    The workers were said to have been employed into the councils and captured by remittal payment system during the administration of Governor Olusegun Mimiko.

    Sources said eight workers were captured for each first class traditional rulers and six for second class rulers. Others have two workers.

    The removal of the workers’ names has been generating tension in various palaces.

    There are allegations that more workers will be affected.

    NLC Chairman Mrs Bosede Daramola said the congress will resist the action.

    Mrs Daramola said the  action contradicted the governor’s promise.

    She said: “The workers, irrespective of who they were working directly with, were employed properly and captured under the remittal system.

    “It is unacceptable for government to sack them and expose them to previous system when the workers were being paid indiscriminately by the monarchs they were working directly under.”

    The union leader said the congress would not accept a situation whereby some monarchs would collect money meant for the workers and pay them pittance.

  • NLC to workers: Vote out non-performing governors, others in 2019

    NLC to workers: Vote out non-performing governors, others in 2019

    The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) on Saturday asked workers across the country to vote out non-performing governors and other elected representatives in the 2019 general election.

    The NLC president, Ayuba Wabba, who stated this during his visit to the national secretariat of the National Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) in Abuja, said lack of development at local government level was responsible for the massive urban migration in the country.

    He stressed that it was in the best interest of the political class to grant local government autonomy.

    He said Nigerian workers now have the opportunity to decide their own future by ensuring that they have permanent voters’ card with which they can effect the needed change in the nation’s political system.

    Wabba said, “I have said this on several that if we have membership running into millions, we can change the scenario at every level of governance. At the local government level, put the local government workers together, put the teachers together and all affiliates of the NLC only, you will discover that there is no governor that had won election whose figure surpassed our membership.

    “There is no state where our membership alongside our families and our social partners will not be able to raise up to one million membership. Therefore, we must continue to be politically relevant.

    “Now, we have an opportunity with the continuous voter registration. Many of our workers don’t have voter’s card because we take these things for granted. The union must lead the way in this and ensure that every of our member has a permanent voter’s card.

    “We should not continue to lament because we have the number and we can drive any process. Those governor that have done well, let us reward them. There are those that are paying salaries as and when due. There are those governors that had seen workers as liability, while others see them asset.

    “So any governor that sees workers as liability, let us prepare for them. Let us stop lamenting because if we continue to lament, it will not help us even though we have the number. Let the campaign start with us and we should do that by having our permanent voter’s card.”

     

  • Al-Makura urges workers to call off strike

    Al-Makura urges workers to call off strike

    Gov. Tanko Al-Makura of Nasarawa State has urged striking workers to call off their strike in the interest of peace and for the socio-economic development of the state.

    Al-Makura made the appeal on Monday in Lafia during a meeting with some stakeholders to commemorate 18 years of uninterrupted democracy in Nigeria.

    “As far as I am concerned, there is no strike in Nasarawa state now and any worker hiding in his bedroom is doing that at his or her own risk,’’ he however warned.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that the NLC Chairman in the state, Mr Abdullahi Adeka, had on May 26 announced the suspension of the strike, saying the state government has started implementing their demands.

    However, on May 27, a factional NLC Chairman, Mr Bala Umar, asked workers to continue with the strike, insisting that the government was yet to meet up with their demands.

    The workers are demanding for full payment of their salary arrears, promotion and enhanced condition of service.

    Commenting on the development, the governor said that the meeting was aimed at appreciating, recognising and acknowledging the contributions of those that served and are still serving the state since when he assumed office in 2011.

    Al-Makura said that the strike, which was embarked upon by the organised labour, has a political motive.

    “As a matter of fact, the master minds behind the strike are people completely belonging from opposition political parties.

    “The strike is only to sabotage government efforts; if not why is that children whose parents are APC, PDP, APGA, Labour Party, among others, want to be denied opportunity to studies.

    “We thank the Ministry of Education and the government that make the necessary arrangement to make sure that the students study without hitches,” he said.

    Al-Makura pointed out that his administration in the past six years have recorded landmark achievements in the areas of development in the state capital and with a drive in rural areas through the provision of basic social amenities and infrastructure to curb rural/urban migration.

    He assured the stakeholders and the people of the state on his unalloyed drive for development which, according to him, has resulted to key infrastructural improvement.

    “The contributions of various stakeholders in the state have help in bringing to success the gains of democracy which we all celebrate today,” he added.

    According to him, since the birth of his administration, road network, construction of schools, hospitals and markets, among other key infrastructures, has in no small measure top government programmes.

    The governor renewed the commitment of his administration to continue to create infrastructures that would have direct bearing on the lives of the people of the state.

    NAN also reports that the meeting brought together past and present political office holders who served the state at various levels.

  • Democracy Day: NLC urges FG to announce c’ttee on minimum wage

    The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has urged the Federal Government to use the occasion of the Democracy Day celebration to announce the composition of the tripartite negotiation committee on the National Minimum Wage.

    The NLC President, Mr Ayuba Wabba, made the call in a statement he issued on Sunday in Abuja, ahead of the Democracy Day celebration on Monday.

    Wabba, who noted that the minimum wage was increased to N18,000 six years ago, added that the patience of workers had been tested due to the current inflation in the country.

    “We, therefore, urge the Federal Government to use the occasion of the Democracy Day to announce the composition of the tripartite negotiation committee as this is imperative for the government to review the National Minimum Wage, ‘’ he said.

    Wabba also condemned the recent coup rumour, saying labour was opposed to any move to truncate the current democratic dispensation

    “ The NLC wishes to state in the strongest possible tone that it is categorically opposed to any further military adventurism in the body politics of our nation.

    “The damage military rule caused our nation is not only in the realm of our political culture, it deepened and virtually institutionalised corruption in all segments of our national life,’’ he said.

    The NLC president urged the military leadership to identify individuals involved and prosecute them in the relevant courts.

    Wabba also called on elected public office holders at all levels of governance to rededicate themselves to the task of working for the people.

  • Minimum wage: our patience running out, NLC tells FG

    Minimum wage: our patience running out, NLC tells FG

    •Warns military adventurers

    The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) yesterday told the Federal Government the patience of workers was running out on the proposed National Minimum Wage.

    It demanded for announcement of membership of the Minimum wage negotiating committee.

    The NLC also warned against military incursion, vowing Nigerians will resist military adventurers with everything they have.

    The body asked the Chief of Army Staff to go beyond informing of the unholy interaction going on between some unnamed politicians and soldiers.

    Such entities, the NLC said, should be bought to book to serve as deterrent for others.

    NLC’s President, Comrade Ayuba Wabba, in a statement to mark the 2017 Democracy Day, lamented workers have waited long enough for the review of the minimum wage act.

    He said: “As workers, after over six years of the last salary increment which brought the national minimum wage to N18,000, with the excruciating suffering of our members as a result of galloping inflation caused by the massive increase in the price of petrol, and the massive devaluation of the Naira, our patience has been tested to the limit.

    “We therefore urge the federal government to use the occasion of the Democracy Day to announce the composition of the tripartite negotiation committee so that we can negotiate and have a living wage as minimum wage.”

    On the rumored coup plot, he said: “The Nigeria Labour Congress wishes to state in the strongest possible tone that it is categorically opposed to any further military adventurism in the body politics of our nation.

    “The damage military incursion into Nigeria’s political  arena did over the decades when it imposed itself on the people is largely responsible for the underdevelopment of our political culture almost six decades after attaining political independence.

    “The damage military rule caused our nation is not only in the realm of our political culture, it deepened and virtually institutionalised corruption in all segments of our national life.

    “As some commentators have pointed to the fact that a number of our past military rulers are stupendously rich is a testimony that they indeed appropriated our commonwealth for their individual pockets at the expense of the vast majority of our people.

    “We call on the Chief of Army Staff to go beyond just informing Nigerians and cautioning those trying to derail our democracy to desist from it.

    ” Rather, the Armed Forces should at the appropriate time after concluding its investigation, identify the individuals involved, prosecute them in the relevant courts, and if found guilty given the appropriate punishments as deterrent to potentially ambitious adventurers.”

  • NLC, TUC, others picket firm for alleged non-payment of salary

    NLC, TUC, others picket firm for alleged non-payment of salary

    The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) Trade Union Congress, TUC United Action for Democracy (UAD) and workers of Automobile, Boatyards, Transport Equipment and Allied Senior Staff Association (AUTOBATE) have picketed Galba Nigerian Plc over alleged non-payment of salaries. Workers alleged that they are being owed 19 months salary.

    The unions, which barricaded the entrance to the company, displayed placards with inscriptions such as, “Stop the violation of condition of service,” “It is a crime to owe workers;” “No pay, no more work;”said the picketing was to attract attention to the plight of the workers.

    The branch chairman of AUTOBATE in Galba, Comrade Innocent Udongfo, accused the company of negligence and urged it to meet the demands of the workers.

    Udongfo said: “We can no longer pay our rents and our children are out of school. We are calling on the management to pay our salaries from 2015 till today. And to remit all our union dues from 2010 till date. They should implement our total emolument of the condition of service duly signed in the employment manual.

    “Several negotiations with Galba management could not work because they always want to play over our intelligence. They don’t even listen to us. Anytime we have opportunity to meet with the management they will walk us out.”

    The General Secretary of AUTOBATE, Mr. Sola Olorunfemi, explained the union had made several attempt to resolve the issue but regretted that Galba had avoided the invitations.

    Olorunfemi said, “We came all the way from Lagos after all efforts engage the Galba management in meaningful discussion proved abortive. They owe the workers since 2015 November. We have made the TUC in River State to dialogue with the company over this matter. But the management has been playing pranks for over 18 months now in order not to get this salaries paid.

    “We have recorded about five persons dead over the level of suffering inflicted on the workers by the company. We will hold this company hostage, there will be no practical operation in this premises until our demand are met.

    However, calls made to the Managing Director of Galba Nigerian Plc, Mr. Mike Appia, to get the company’s reaction were neither picked nor returned, but Administrative Officer of the firm, Mr. Dan Adi, said has nothing to say on the claims of the staff members.

  • NLC bemoans state of education sector

    NLC bemoans state of education sector

    President of Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) Ayuba Wabba has attributed the decline in the country’s education sector to poor funding and crisis caused by the government’s penchant for not honouring collective agreements.

    Speaking with The Nation, Wabba said the persistent industrial actions by the unions in the university setting, over the years, were traceable to the characteristic habit of government to renege on agreements that it entered with the unions.

    He said: “Today, thousands of Nigerian youths are going to other shores in Africa and beyond to pursue their university education. The foreign exchange the country loses to this venture is considerably high.”

  • Labour urges FG to inaugurate committee on minimum wage

    The Nigerian labour movement has called on the Federal Government to accelerate the inauguration of the Tripartite Committee for the implementation of the new National Minimum Wage for workers in the country.

    The President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Mr. Ayuba Wabba, and his Trade Union Congress (TUC) counterpart, Mr. Bobboi Kagama, made the call while reacting to the fallout of the May Day celebration on Monday in Abuja.

    Nigerian workers had expressed anger and disappointment at the non-implementation of the minimum wage thereby disrupting the 2017 May Day celebration.

    Wabba said the constitution of the tripartite committee was imperative as the economy was not friendly to workers.

    He said workers have today expressed their sadness because many of them have not received their salaries, adding that it was a demonstration of anger on the situation in the country.

    “The challenges workers are passing through are enormous, workers have expected that either the President or the vice president would have been present at the rally to respond to workers yearning and anticipation,” the NLC president said.

    “Workers attitude today have shown that it is an accumulation of anger, and that the economic situation is biting very hard on them as many of them cannot pay their bills.

    “They also expected that the minimum wage will receive accelerated attention and that the pronouncement will be made here but the case is otherwise.”

    Kaigama said the leadership of NLC and TUC sympathised with workers over the current hardship in the country.

    NAN